Catalyst
by JinnySkeans
Summary: "You left. You betrayed us. You left Konoha to burn. What makes you think I should trust anything you say?" Her words were challenging. His reply was soft. "You don't have a choice." AU
1. Occupation

The blinding sunlight was a cruel contradiction to the cacophony below.

Sakura tried to tune out the sounds of the Occupation; the endless cadence of running horses, crude shouts, pained screams, the ominous cracking of the whip and, of course, the drums that signaled the hangman had claimed yet another pair of boots to add to his growing collection. Oto had invaded just two weeks ago, and already her peaceful kingdom of Konoha was almost unrecognizable.

If she looked out her window, past the chaos and despair that had gripped her innocent people, towards the ocean, she could pretend that this was all nothing more than a nightmare.

The horizon was as beautiful as it had ever been, white sand beaches that stretched for miles, not at all far from what remained of her family's palace. The water was crystal clear where it lapped up along the shoreline and retreated again, palm trees with their jungle green fronds swaying lazily in the warm summery breeze.

Sakura chose to focus on that at this moment, the last she would have in the bedroom she had been confined to since Orochimaru's invasion. The bedroom she had slept in almost every night since she was born.

She considered throwing open the window to hopefully tempt a sweet sea breeze into the safe haven that had since become a prison, but if these were her last few moments of peace, she did not also want to also invite the stench of death and decay that pervaded every corner of Konoha since Orochimaru had arrived with his men two weeks prior. So the window stayed closed as she took a seat before her vanity to examine her reflection.

Her mother would be fussing with her hair now, even in these miserable circumstances. She recalled the late Queen Haruno with a mixture of exasperation and fondness, remembering the way her soft fingers would comb roughly through her thick pink locks, bemoaning their unusual color and her unseemly lack of hair maintenance.

"_Plenty of time to practice archery with your father and dabble in medicines with your foolish aunt, and run about the kingdom playing doctor, but not a single moment in the day to devote to this distressing pink mop,_" her voice resonated throughout the room.

The thought made Sakura want to choke. She forced the tears that threatened to fall back, recalling the words of her beloved father. _"Above all things, above being a girl, above being my daughter, above being a princess...you are Konoha. And until the very end...Konoha is strong._"

King and Queen Haruno, the fair rulers of their peaceful metropolis, had been the first to fall, when Oto attacked. It was a deadly invasion; Konoha hadn't been prepared, and what little defense they were able to rally had been obliterated under the sheer number of Orochimaru's forces. The invaders stormed the palace, and the king and queen had been quickly, violently executed before they could use their influence to rally support from their neighboring allies.

Most of the palace workers were driven into hiding, and Sakura herself was taken prisoner, kept in close confinement until the day of her sentencing.

There were no words to describe the carnage. Hundreds of innocent people, soldiers and civilians, men, women, and children, were mowed down in the bloody takeover. Screams of terror, wails of despair served as the soundtrack to Konoha's doom. Oto soldiers were known for their brutality, and took great pleasure in killing all those who risked defying them. Those who had survived the initial bloodbath suffered the loss of their comrades, friends, husbands, wives, children, and were still being rounded up and executed on a frightening basis. Their numbers dwindling, their spirit broken, Orochimaru's hostile invasion had been a horrific success.

Sakura was under no illusions about her fate. She knew she would not be executed; that merciful outcome was reserved for her parents alone. Orochimaru would keep her alive to serve as an example to any who dared oppose him, and, frankly, he'd garnered quite the reputation towards being the type to play with his food before he ate it.

Orochimaru issued a decree that all Konoha citizens gather in the Square that day at noon to bear witness to his inception as rightful king of Konoha, now a puppet state of Otogakure. Sakura would be summoned as well, where he would strip her of her title and pass sentencing.

She dressed in her finest robes, a cream-colored gown that cinched in at her slender waist and flared out slightly at the bottom, along with the deep purple mantle around her shoulders that signified Konoha royalty. Her pink hair hung in loose, lovely curls framing a heart-shaped face, button nose, cherry pink lips and shimmering green eyes the color of jade. At sixteen, if she was marching to her disgrace and the end of her family's long and peaceful reign, she would present herself not only as the princess, but as Konoha.

If Orochimaru planned to break _her_ spirit today, he had another thing coming.

This resolve in mind, she barely looked up when the door was thrown open, and three young women strode inside her bedroom as if they owned it. She recognized them as the daughters of three high-ranking Oto officials: Tayuya, pink-haired and infamous for her brutality, Ami, shallow and cruel as they came, and Karin, the woman Sakura understood to be her replacement.

The expressions on their faces were mocking and gleeful; Orochimaru's official inception recognized their roles in Konoha as Ladies of the Court. Everything Sakura previously claimed would now be theirs.

_Except my will,_ she thought fiercely. Her green eyes flashed heatedly in the mirror as she glared at her successors. _They can never inherit the Will of Fire!_

Karin was dressed extravagantly, her scarlet eyes brimming with satisfaction, her painted lips quirked into a sneer as she counted down the minutes to when Sakura's position would be given to her. She wore flowing golden robes that, Sakura calculated in revulsion, were expensive enough to feed a family for a year. Her arms were festooned with bracelets made of the most precious jewels, the necklace around her neck had to weigh five pounds, and diamonds dangled from her earlobes. Her face was painted in traditional Otogakure cosmetics, her red hair choppy on one side and smooth on the other; Oto was known for its unusual hairstyles.

"It's time to go, Your Majesty," Karin informed Sakura; she placed a mocking emphasis on the title, which everyone knew held no meaning anymore anyway, since the Invasion. "Wouldn't want to be late for your own deposition, would you?"

Sakura paid her no mind as she opened the drawer of her vanity and removed her tiara. It was simple but impossibly beautiful at the same time, silver and lined with diamonds that caught the sunlight. With steady hands, she placed it on top of her candy pink curls and examined its appearance in the mirror.

This would be the last time a Haruno would present herself as a princess.

"That crown will look beautiful on you, Lady Karin," gushed Ami. "You'd better enjoy it while you can, you little -"

Sakura cut her off.

"You will address me as Your Highness," she said coldly, her voice dripping with regality. She was not one to flaunt her title or demand that others acknowledge it, but she would make an exception in this case. "I am a princess now, if not for much longer in the eyes of your spineless countrymen, and you will speak to me with the proper respect."

"But we _are_ giving you the respect that you deserve, _Princess,_" Tayuya snickered, with a snap of her fingers. Two armed Oto soldiers entered the room quickly, their stances threatening should Sakura show any signs of insubordination.

With a heavy heart but a resolve of steel, Sakura cast her gaze around her once-beloved room. The bed, far too big for one slener young girl, pillows that she would hug after hard days, blankets made of down that kept her warm on cold winter nights. She ran her fingers over the sheets to commit the feel of them to memory, before taking in the soft ivory curtains that a little princess once hid behind during spirited games with her childhood friends; the windowseat she would sit on sometimes, just to stare out at the ocean and dream of far-off places.

"Come on, you," snarled one of the guards with a rough shove to her back. "Get your ass in the carriage, you've got an appointment with Orochimaru-sama."

Sakura was satisfied that there was no fear in her eyes. It would not do to show cowardice, and Orochimaru had murdered her citizens, her friends, her _family._ She would never recognize his power. Perhaps if she showed defiance, it would inspire her citizens to do the same...to rally against his terror. With a queenly air, she set off out of her bedroom, flanked by the guards and followed by Karin and her ladies-in-waiting, sending up a quick prayer for the safety of her people.

_Even if this reign ends with me,_ she thought, her expression composed and her steps even and fearless, _the Will of Fire can never be extinguished!_

Sakura was unaware that at that very moment, her sentiment was echoed in the hearts of thousands of Konoha survivors. In the heart of the grieving, oppressed nation, a rebellion stirred, first nothing more than quiet whispers and furtive glances, before its flames were fanned into a full-scale revolution of which Orochimaru remained unaware.

This last act, this monstrous deposition of the princess Konoha loved and revered, was the catalyst.

The flame had been ignited.

It was war.


	2. Deposition

No one paid him any mind, and that suited him fine.

He was another dark-cloaked member of the crowd, forced to congregate in the village square to witness the public shaming of their beloved princess. Everyone else was too focused on the horror of this day to notice him. He blended in perfectly with the masses and directed his sharp black eyes to the center of the square.

A massive platform had been erected seemingly overnight, which would serve as the site of both the princess's deposition and Orochimaru's inception as King.

The young man moved about fluidly, black gaze sweeping across the square, his left hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightly and hidden by the black cloak draped around his shoulders. He was jostled here and there by the distressed crowd, muscled along by the barbaric Oto soldiers as preparations for the coronation ceremony began.

His presence here, if discovered by anyone, Konoha and Oto alike, would spell disaster for his cause. Triple agents were in high demand as far as the executioner was concerned, and the Rebellion, still in its infancy, could not risk the disposal of one of its chief architects so early in the game.

Sasuke, relying on the hustle and bustle of this miserable crowd to ensure his anonymity, glanced to his right. A tall, blonde man dressed in the same black cloak made eye contact, nodded once, curtly, and signaled two fingers to the left. Sasuke nodded once to confirm that he understood the message, and slipped, unseen, towards the scaffolding where the coronation would take place.

His orders were clear and finite. He was to interfere if, and _only_ if, Orochimaru sentenced the princess to death. She was the figurehead of the whole revolution, the symbol of peace and prosperity that the oppressed citizens of Konoha were clinging to. Her death would be a crushing blow to the success of the Rebellion, and the goals of the Rebellion were very simple: Kill Orochimaru and restore Princess Sakura to her throne.

Sasuke was the most capable member of the Rebellion to ensure the success of this mission, but it was also a great risk. Should Orochimaru decide to kill the princess, springing her from the ceremony in front of the entire nation would draw a collossal amount of attention. Sasuke preferred that his identity remain secret for as long as possible; he was far more useful to the revolution if Orochimaru was unaware that Sasuke's allegiance was with Konoha.

It would be difficult to escape from such a situation, but he had allies in the crowd, positioned strategically to keep full surveillance on the entire ceremony.

Besides, he doubted that his interference would be necessary in the first place. As someone who knew Orochimaru well, one of his former students and the jewel of his collection, Sasuke could safely say that Orochimaru's intentions for the princess were far more sinister than something as quick and painless as an order of execution.

He would make her an example, Sasuke knew, to all those who would challenge his power. He would humiliate her, torture her, have her beaten and starved and worse, all to warn any prospective enemies that the same could happen to them, if someone as untouchable as the princess of a happy nation was taken down so easily.

The idea was beyond distasteful. Sasuke felt a familiar twinge of hatred coursing through his veins for his old master. He was no longer in Orochimaru's service, but as far as the tyrant king of Otogakure was concerned, he had not placed his loyalties with his birthland of Konoha either. And Sasuke intended to keep it that way. The longer Orochimaru labored under the delusion that he was not involved in the rebellion, the more privy to information on Oto's next move he would be.

Sasuke watched then as Orochimaru's second-in-command, the oily and calculating Yakushi Kabuto, disembarked from a golden carriage, heralding Orochimaru's arrival. A hush immediately descended upon the crowds of Konoha citizens as the king of Otogakure emerged from the carriage, dressed in his military uniform, his long black hair flowing behind him as he took leisurely steps up onto the platform. His snakelike eyes shown with victory, his lips curled into a sneer as a white carriage pulled into the Square.

Everyone was silent. Only the scream of seagulls in the distance disturbed the eerie quiet as the white carriage, drawn by four beautiful white horses, came to a stop in front of the platform. The doors opened, and three women Sasuke recognized as Ladies Karin, Ami, and Tayuya emerged, each wearing ill-disguised smirks of glee. They joined Orochimaru, Kabuto, and several other high-ranking Oto officials who would be serving in Konoha on the stage, seated in golden thrones as everyone turned their focus to the last princess of Konoha.

She emerged slowly, but not fearfully. Ten feet away from her, Sasuke made out the expression in her haunting green eyes: serenity, calmness, and, as always, fire. Just the way he remembered...but he forced those thoughts away now. The Rebellion needed him to ensure the survival of the princess, not dwell on childhood memories best left in the past, where they belonged.

Perfect pink curls, long and loose, spilled down her shoulders as she stepped out of the carriage, offset by the diamond tiara that rested on the top of her head. She was dressed royally and carried herself with a bone-deep confidence that conveyed her status even better than the fine robes she was wearing. She was small and slender, and as achingly, impossibly beautiful as everyone said she was.

His heart throbbed at what was about to happen to this innocent girl from his youth.

Sure enough, once she'd stepped down and the carriage was driven away, a choir of boos and lascivious catcalls erupted from the Oto soldiers. If Princess Sakura noticed any of this, she did not show it. Sasuke kept his eyes trained on her face as well as the soldiers that escorted her up onto the platform where the depositon would take place. If any of them showed killing intent, something he could easily recognize from an Oto soldier after his training in Otogakure, he would act immediately.

He fingered the hilt of his sword for reassurance. Forcing away any thoughts of sentimentality as his childhood friend walked straight into the lion's den, he reminded himself that Sakura would not die today, not while he was looking out for her.

Sakura came to a stop in the middle of the square, facing a seated Orochimaru with fearlessness. He watched her in clear amusement, and something more than that, Sasuke realized angrily. The way the tyrant scanned Sakura's lithe body made him sick to his stomach.

"Citizens of Konoha," Kabuto called out to the crowd, his voice carrying in the silence of the Square. "You are gathered here today to bear witness to the end of the squalid Haruno reign, and the beginning of the noble King Orochimaru!"

The boos and jeers that had accompanied Sakura's lonely walk to the platform changed into cheers and shouts of support from the Oto soldiers. The thousands of Konoha citizens forced to witness, however, remained silent, some of them crying, others shaking their heads at such an awful display.

Sasuke could understand their emotions at such a time. From a very young age, Princess Sakura was a symbol of peace and happiness in the idyllic kingdom of Konoha. She was sweet and inherently kind, an adorable child with a fondness for learning and dreams bigger than the kingdom she would one day inherit. He recalled a pink-haired child taking medic lessons from an eccentric aunt Tsunade...

The same woman who was spearheading this Rebellion. But not even Sakura knew about that, not yet.

Sakura's vow to become an excellent doctor had warmed the hearts of their citizens. All of them knew her personally, because all throughout her childhood, she would spend as much time as she could in the marketplace, visiting with her subjects and getting to know more about them. She loved her people and their mutual trust in her would make her an excellent queen one day, when she married and inherited the throne from her parents. She would, like many Haruno royals before her, make her decisions with her subjects' happiness and welfare in mind.

No one expected this tragic turn of events.

Now, the people she loved and the people who loved her were forced to bear witness to her public disgrace, as well as watch the symbolic end of the prosperity they had enjoyed for so many years. For all the good they had done the kingdom, the Harunos were unable to dispel this threat, and Orochimaru would show no mercy.

Sasuke understood all of that, which was exactly why he could not afford to approach this as a mission to save a childhood friend. He needed to shelve any personal feelings for 'Saki-chan' and do what was right for the Rebellion. He would leave Saki-chan in the past, and focus on saving Princess Sakura, for the good of her people.

The cheers died down to silence as Orochimaru spoke.

"Well here we are, Princess," he said in that oily, salacious voice that haunted Sasuke's nightmares even now. "In these last few moments of your family's disgusting, barbaric reign...what have you to say in your defense?"

Sakura did not so much as hesitate. Her voice was soft but the strength within it carried across the Square as loud as Kabuto's shouting.

"I will say, in defense of my family, that for 300 years, Haruno reign has ensured the safety and prosperity of these wonderful citizens of Konoha. For 300 years, our people have enjoyed peace and success, because a happy kingdom is built on the foundation that royalty is to guarantee the happiness of its subjects, not to oppress those subjects in a selfish bid for personal gain." Contempt leaked into her voice as she fixed Orochimaru with her most piercing glare. Sasuke recalled that glare from their childhood days, and would have smirked, had he not been so focused on keeping her alive.

"My greatest regret," Sakura continued, as angry murmurs from the Oto soldiers sounded from every direction, "is that I will be unable to continue the traditions of my forebearers...but my greatest joy is that even with the fall of Haruno today, Konoha itself will never fall. To you, or any number like you who would invade a kingdom unannounced and seek to control and destroy it. Konoha will never be destroyed and Konoha can never be controlled. Inside all of us burns the Will of Fire...and though the Haruno reign ends with me, you will never stamp out the flames that burn within all of us!"

Sasuke was bursting with pride at her courage even as he was teeming with anger at her foolishness. How could she look Orochimaru in the eyes and say such things? Had she absolutely no sense of self-preservation? What she was doing, noble a thing as it may be, was exposing her neck to a hungry tiger.

Tsunade's orders rang through his head. _"You will interfere ONLY if it becomes clear that Orochimaru will kill my niece." _There was sorrow in her tone, for Tsunade knew that there were many, many things worse than death, and that she was as good as condemning her beloved niece and prized pupil to Orochimaru's torture. _"Anything less than that, and your identity must remain a secret, for as long as possible. Orochimaru is under the impression that Konoha is not able to present a resistance to his Occupation, and that's exactly what I want him to think."_

It defied every natural instinct within him to remain motionless as Orochimaru stood from his throne and approached Sakura, who did not back away from him. She met his gaze fiercely, fearlessly, her back ramrod straight and her thin shoulders squared. It was with only the strictest concentration that he did not immediately rush onstage when he heard the unmistakable CRACK of a ruthless backhand.

Sakura's head jerked to the side but she shook it off, returning her icy gaze to Orochimaru even as her cheek turned scarlet from the force of his slap. He smirked at her nonreaction and seized her by the collar of her royal mantle, drawing her in close.

The scene was nauseating, but Sasuke forbade himself to so much as blink. He did not think that Orochimaru would kill this girl who gave him so much amusement, but he couldn't be sure. You could never trust a snake.

"You are brave," Orochimaru observed, his slimy tongue tracing the red handprint on Sakura's cheek. "I'd expect nothing less from a niece of Tsunade-chan's. She's taught you many things, I know, but this diamond spine? That's all your own.

"So this must be a dark day indeed for you, little one. Knowing that the so-called peaceful and prosperous rule handed down to you by your forefathers ends with you, you weak, powerless little girl."

Sakura flinched at last, but she held her ground.

Kabuto chuckled as well, and Sasuke made a mental note to kill him slowly and painfully once Sakura was safely back in power.

"People of Konoha," he called out again. "Bear witness that on this summer day, Orochimaru-sama, King of Otogakure, will replace the heathen Haruno princess as Sole Ruler of Konohagakure!"

The Oto soldiers burst into cheers and raucous applause, while the Konoha citizens remained silent, powerless to stop this injustice. Sasuke watched as Kabuto removed the royal mantle from Sakura's shoulders and placed it around Orochimaru's instead, to an even greater round of applause.

"All hail King Orochimaru!"

At prods and orders from the Oto soldiers, everyone in the crowd sank into a bow of submission. Sasuke followed as well, so as not to stand out, but kept his eyes trained on Sakura, who looked oddly exposed onstage without her mantle.

"As my first act as King of Konoha," Orochimaru announced with a grin, "I depose the former princess Haruno Sakura, and instate Lady Karin in her place."

Karin rose to her feet, beaming in excitement as two soldiers forced Sakura to her knees; she had refused to bow to Orochimaru. Kabuto ripped the crown from her hair and set it neatly on Karin's fiery red tresses instead, as she was named Lady of Konoha.

"You will bow to Orochimaru," Kabuto ordered Sakura, "and recognize him as your king."

"I will never recognize him as my king," Sakura refused softly, serenely. Sasuke could have slapped her himself. Now was not the time to be brave! "My king, my father, was slaughtered by your armies."

"Insubordination," Orochimaru said, with a bloodcurdling sneer as he licked his lips, "will never be tolerated in my kingdom. Twenty lashes...then you will be taken back to my palace and reminded what happens to those fools who would defy me."

It was with a will and stomach of steel that Sasuke kept himself immobile. Sakura was dragged by the Oto soldiers off the coronation platform to the hangman's scaffold. She was bound facefirst against the wooden beam, from which the noose that had claimed so many of her friends as victims dangled, her royal gown ripped down the back as Kabuto was handed a whip.

Sasuke kept his eyes on her face, and tried to quell the tidal wave of self-loathing that erupted within him when her keening screams of agony met his ears.

**notes..** Hey, there. :) I needed a little break from Catch You Later, and I had this monster of a story rolling around in my brain for awhile, so here's hoping I can juggle both in a timely manner. Obviously this is AU, hopefully a different take on a reasonably common theme. Expect a lot of plot twists and freakishly sporadic updates! Please review and tell me what you think, and thank you to those who already have :) Have a wonderful night, I love you!


	3. Triple Agent

Sakura's back was bleeding sluggishly, but she ignored it and limped back towards the palace with as much dignity as she could muster.

She hated that she'd screamed, but it couldn't be helped. There had to have been ground glass in the whip they used, it cut so deeply and ruthlessly.

Sometimes, Sakura hated knowing as much about health and the body as she did. It made occasions like these all the more daunting, as she calculated the high probability of infection and scarring. She doubted Orochimaru was the type who kept his spoils of war in tiptop physical condition.

The so-called royal caravan, which consisted of the white carriage now belonging to Lady Karin, the golden carriage that held Orochimaru and Kabuto, and two dozen armed Oto soldiers on horseback, made its way in what was obviously intended to be a victory parade, but felt more like a funeral procession to Sakura. She staggered along at the front, surrounded by guards more than ready to impale her with long, rusty-tipped spears should she show even the slightest inclination to run away, but she was not so cowardly. She could not have her beloved people (and they were STILL her people, no matter what Orochimaru might have thought) see her disgrace herself and show such fear, not when she needed them to be strong enough to stand against him on their own.

It was such a beautiful day. Sakura would have preferred something along the lines of a hailstorm; the balmy summer sun and cloudless blue sky had absolutely no place on a day as dark as this one. The warm weather and sprawling sunshine threatened to lull her into a false sense of security. She was heading home, yes...but as Orochimaru's trophy prisoner.

This would, in all likelihood, be the very last time she ever saw sunlight. She pictured a horrific future for herself, rotting away in the underground dungeons, Orochimaru keeping her alive but just barely...a windowless, lightless, hopeless space, the cold stones damp, nothing but time to think about how she had driven her esteemed family to ruins in only two short weeks.

So, hungrily she drank in the sun and the warmth and the hopefulness of summer, knowing that she would need something to cling to in the coming years, something bright and happy. She prayed swiftly for her parents and all those killed during the Invasion, as well as for her subjects. She did not know the horrors Orochimaru had in store for those he kept alive, and the thought filled her with dread. She would give her life a thousand times over to guarantee the safety of her people, but it seemed she wouldn't even get a chance to do _that._

Sakura knew the reality of her situation was dire, but there had to be a way that she could continue to serve the people of Konoha. In what capacity, she was not sure, but Sakura was known for her resourcefulness.

If Orochimaru thought a few cracks of his whip would be enough to break her, then he was sorely mistaken.

Feeling her resolve strengthen with the blood caking on her back, Sakura stood tall, the pain ripping through her shredded skin, but she needed to convey a message to the man who had stolen her father's throne. She would not be tamed. She would not be cowed. She would not submit to him, and she would never recognize his authority, because it was stolen. Illegitimate.

_Let him do whatever he pleases to me,_ she thought savagely. _Nothing will be enough to bend me to his will. I am Konoha, like Father. Like Mother. Like my friends and my subjects. We are Konoha...and you cannot break that._

xoxoxo

Orochimaru eyed his pretty new prisoner with a sort of vacant interest, typically reserved for new weapons that he found especially appealing.

She had spunk, he would give her that.

She was sixteen, had suffered the losses of both of her parents, not to mention countless friends and trusted comrades in his sudden, unexpected invasion. She had lost her crown, authority, home, and freedom all in one balmy summer morning.

And he knew that so many whiplashes could crumble even the hardest of men, but this tiny, delicate-looking little girl weathered it like a gladiator.

Tsunade-chan had raised herself an excellent niece.

Sakura aroused him. She was beautiful and clever in equal measure, and he had no doubts that even now, she was scheming something, some glorious escape followed by a dramatic return to power. He smirked, blatantly ignoring the way Kabuto, seated beside him in the grandiose carriage, was preening about the success of the coronation ceremony. His amber eyes locked on the skin torn from Sakura's smooth back, and a long, serpentine tongue flicked out of his mouth to moisten his lips.

Perhaps he had a place of honor for her in his new palace after all.

xoxoxo

As the royal caravan departed the Square, the new head guard, a ruthless killer with an easy smile stepped up onto the vacated platform to speak to the rattled crowd. Sasuke recognized him immediately as Hozuki Suigetsu, a man he'd traveled with during his apprenticeship with Orochimaru. He took delight in murder, prodigiously talented in mutilation, and seemed to be enjoying his new role as official captain of the Oto guard during its occupation of Konoha.

Sasuke mentally catalogued the white-haired swordsman's points of weakness. He did not take pleasure in killing as his old comrade did, but he would kill when it was necessary; Suigetsu was a man who could not be allowed to live after the revolution took place. For now, he would let his old acquaintance enjoy his stolen position.

"All right, you filthy scum," Suigetsu addressed the crowd of Konoha citizens. "Here's what's happenin'. Tomorrow morning, 5 am. I want all the men in this kingdom to report to the docks, all the women to report to the rice fields, all the children to head to school like it's a normal damn day. You understand? Anyone caught not attending's gonna get rounded up and taken to Orochimaru-sama."

Sasuke needed to hear no more. He instantly understood Orochimaru's plans for his captured kingdom: he was going to bleed its primary resources (fish and rice), brainwash its children with some propagandized curriculum, and use the rebels who defied him as human experiments. After traveling so long with him, it was impossible not to notice a pattern where the deranged king was concerned.

He signaled to his blonde rebel comrade to stay where he was with a quick flourish of his fingers, then, like a shadow, like night itself, he slipped unnoticed through the crowds in pursuit of the royal caravan.

When he'd gotten past the guards (an embarrassingly easy task, Orochimaru needed to hire slightly more capable thugs to do his dirty work), he removed the black cloak concealing his face and tossed it carelessly to the ground. Sasuke tried very hard to ignore the bloodstains that marred the otherwise-pristine cobblestones, fresh and recent, as well as the fact that he was now dressed in an Oto captain's uniform.

It was necessary to the mission, he knew, that he win Orochimaru's trust. Orochimaru had not been pleased when Sasuke decided to break from his tutelage, but as far as the tyrant king was concerned, Sasuke's life was nomadic, devoted to improving his swordsmanship, and that all ties to his birth kingdom of Konoha had been neatly severed.

To win that trust, he would need to (for all intents and purposes) resume the position he'd forsaken the previous year with his defection from Otogakure.

That didn't mean he had to like it.

He was wearing a light grey tunic with a wide purple belt, his sword tucked neatly in the fold, with black trousers and dark gray boots that clicked loudly on the cobblestones as he cut a leisurely path for the palace. His stoic expression betrayed none of his inner turmoil and adrenaline; watching Sakura endure that barbaric lashing had left him ashen, anger, and improbably murderous.

He knew it would be down to an assassination, and that the task would fall to him eventually. But to get close enough to Orochimaru to dispatch him, he needed to convince him that they were on the same side.

While feeding information all the while to the growing rebellion.

All of this was necessary, however. He would shoulder the risks and the burden of this war on his own, for the good of Konoha. He would win Orochimaru's trust, spring the princess from her imprisonment, assassinate the usurper, drive out the invaders, and restore Sakura to her rightful throne.

Maybe all of it would be enough, to redeem him of his past sins.

Or maybe it wouldn't. But either way, Uchiha Sasuke could no longer sit idly by as the only place he'd ever called home was destroyed.

He would save Konoha, or he would burn with it.


	4. Rendezvous Point

Kabuto took in the view from his new room window and exhaled heavily, a smile on his face.

Konoha, the rich and prosperous nation, had fallen with insultingly few opposers, and they were being rounded up quickly and taken care of. As Orochimaru's head tactician and personal physician, Kabuto made sure that all those who resisted the new regime were taught a very valuable lesson.

He could still hear the screams, and the sound was delicious.

His slate eyes scanned the handsome palace room he'd claimed as his own. It was simply but elegantly furnished; a large bed in one corner surrounded by a dark red curtain, light enough to let the air in, since Konoha was known for its perennially warm climate. The walls were a light crème in color and high windows let in all the sunlight.

Everything about this palace was open and free. Any assassin with a lick of skill would be able to slip inside and make quick work of his target. That the Haruno family and all of their palace attendants had survived as long as they did was nothing short of a miracle. Kabuto acknowledged that it was a mark of how deeply content the Konoha citizens were with their rulers. The Harunos believed they had nothing to fear.

The king and queen were executed immediately, the first night of the invasion. The hangings were conducted in secret, the bodies revealed the next morning to damage morale. Most of the palace attendants escaped capture, but Kabuto was confident that they would be located and dealt with accordingly. And the princess, one of the last claimants to the throne, was arrested, to be made an example of.

Orochimaru was dealing with her now.

There was one minor problem with their otherwise flawlessly-executed coup. Sakura was first in line to inherit the throne of Konoha, but she was not the only claimant.

There was still her aunt, renowned doctor Tsunade, who could potentially cause problems for the new regime, should she decide to stake her claim to the Konoha kingdom. Her whereabouts were unknown at the time, having gone underground since the invasion, but Kabuto doubted she would abandon her beloved niece in such a dark hour. Part of the reason they were keeping Sakura alive was to draw Tsunade out of hiding and into the open, where she could be dealt with in the same manner. Orochimaru was sure that holding Tsunade's niece, to whom she'd taught all of her medical repertoire and loved more than any other, would bring her down.

Two weeks had passed, and the coronation had taken place with no whisper of Tsunade. Kabuto had expected a fuss to be made at the ceremony, but it had gone off without a hitch. No one stood to defend their princess. No one spied a glimpse of her aunt. It would seem that Tsunade had forsaken her beloved niece, but Kabuto knew better.

The sly old woman was planning something. Kabuto could hardly guess as to what, but he knew, and Orochimaru knew as well, that her absence at the ceremony and lack of action since they'd overthrown her family's regime meant that she was scheming some counterattack. Rallying support.

If that's what she was doing, she was doing it very well. The Oto soldiers hadn't heard so much as a whisper of rebellion. Konoha had been relatively tame insofar as insurrection.

Kabuto's smile slid off as he considered another possible avenue.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke hailed from Konoha, the younger son of a highly-respected police captain. The Uchiha family had, for generations, served as officials of the law in Konoha. Their name was revered among the great nations for their service. They comprised a good deal of the lawmakers and council members of Konoha. There were even rumors that a marriage was being arranged between the princess and Uchiha Fugaku's younger son, but the contract, if it existed, had never been found.

The Uchiha Clan was massacred one bloody night ten years ago.

All signs pointed to Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother and the ablest swordsman in Konoha. He killed their parents first, Fugaku and his beautiful wife Mikoto, before turning his sword on the other members of his family. Everyone was slaughtered, except for Sasuke himself.

Itachi's reasons were still shrouded in mystery to most of the world. The genocide shocked everyone who learned of it; the noble Uchiha District in Konoha was demolished, and Sasuke, the only survivor, was Konoha's reminder of the seemingly senseless violence.

Sasuke's need to learn the truth about what happened to his family and why overwhelmed him. He remained in Konoha for five more years following the massacre, training as a soldier alongside his friends, but at the age of 12, he'd defected Konoha and joined Oto to learn swordsmanship under Orochimaru. His reasoning was to become strong enough to kill Itachi, and redeem the Uchiha name.

Sasuke was Orochimaru's favorite apprentice. He was a quick learner and his skill with weapons was already extremely honed, even before joining with the ruthless Oto king. He'd convinced everyone that his bonds with Konoha, the princess, and all of his friends were neatly severed, something Orochimaru required before agreeing to take him on as an apprentice.

Everyone, that is, except Kabuto.

Kabuto was one of the privileged few who knew the truth about Itachi and the Uchiha Massacre. Sasuke's beloved older brother was not a murdering psychopath who was testing his skill on his own countrymen. There was a reason behind his seemingly inexplicable actions on that fateful night.

Kabuto had to wonder if Sasuke figured that reason out.

If he had, then Kabuto believed that Sasuke would try to redeem himself and his clan by returning to his homeland and attempting to liberate the Konoha people from Orochimaru's rule. That, and Kabuto never really believed that Sasuke's bonds were as broken as he claimed them to be.

He removed his glasses, wiped them on his tunic, and replaced them, a hard look in his eyes as he regarded the empty streets below.

Orochimaru trusted Sasuke implicitly; he'd even granted Sasuke's request the year prior to travel alone, and hone his skills independently as a nomad.

Kabuto did not share this trust.

He would need to find Sasuke. Keep tabs on him. Whatever Tsunade was planning, it would be a remarkable feat to recruit the peerlessly skilled Uchiha Sasuke as an ally.

Xoxoxo

Ino wasn't sure where she was headed.

Insurrection was an exciting prospect, but this feeling of aimlessness was a difficult one to bear. Yamanaka Ino was a girl who liked to know exactly what was going to happen at the next moment, the type of person who called the shots, rather than one who allowed herself to be led around by the nose.

But her father was right. As Princess Sakura's lady-in-waiting, and more importantly, as her closest friend, she was surely a high-profile target in the new regime. Going underground was the only option at this point, with the insurgents who'd gathered like shadows right under the nose of the Oto soldiers.

Ino hadn't been present for the deposition. She and the others were moved the night before, escorted by Hatake Kakashi, the late King Haruno's trusted captain, and other members of the Konoha Guard that were fleeing Konoha to reconvene in a safer location. She didn't know what happened to Sakura, but Kakashi had said that their contact on the inside would send a message to their destination point that night with all the details.

She wanted to scream at the idea of leaving Sakura behind while she and the others escaped to safety, but Shikamaru, her boyfriend and one of the architects of this rebellion, was right; they would be more useful to her alive than dead, and if they didn't get out of the palace, out of Konoha before more Oto soldiers arrived to lock down the kingdom, they were all goners.

She didn't know what use she could be to this rebellion. Inadequacy was heavy on her shoulders as she pondered any way she could be of help to her friends. She knew a little about medicine, having completed a basic medical course under Tsunade's tutelage, but she had nothing on Sakura, whose skill with the precise field was even greater than her aunt's before her. She couldn't wield weapons or engage in combat like Kiba or Naruto could, and while she was no idiot, she couldn't come up with military strategies like Shikamaru and Neji.

But Ino steeled her resolve as she headed quickly and stealthily through the lush green forest, surrounded by her friends and members of this small but determined revolution. She would find a way to save her best friend and her people, even if it meant doing it on her own.

xoxoxo

Naruto rejoined the other members of the insurrection ten miles into the forest. The occupied city lay behind him, along with two of his closest friends. Sakura, he'd seen, was taken political prisoner in her own palace after the coronation ceremony, and Sasuke had followed her.

He was greatly worried, but knew that he had to have confidence in both of them.

With that thought in mind, he arrived at the rendezvous point Kakashi had established, to find a quietly burning fire and the inner circle of the revolution seated somberly around it.

Kakashi himself, mask hiding half of his face, stared into the flames, deep in thought as to their next move. As King Haruno's closest advisor, he'd been deeply affected by his murder. As Princess Sakura's childhood guardian, he'd been completely devastated by her deposition.

Beside Kakashi sat Sarutobi Asuma and his wife Kurenai. Asuma was another of the king's advisors, and had taken his pregnant wife on the run with him, knowing that to stay in Konoha was suicide for their tiny family.

Yamanaka Ino, Sakura's lady-in-waiting and best friend, sat next to Nara Shikamaru and his father Shikaku, two of King Haruno's chief military strategists. Ino's father Inoichi, chief of military surveillance, had remained in Konoha to act as an information feed on the movements of the Oto soldiers, along with a number of others whose identities Naruto was unaware of.

Sai, a mysterious but loyal friend, was there as well, next to Inuzuka Kiba, whose family was low-profile enough as dog breeders to remain safely in Konoha. Kiba, a member of the Konoha Guard, had fled with the others hoping to be part of the revolution. Also around the circle were Hyuuga Neji and Hinata, the children of high-ranking Konoha council members. Their fathers had been arrested, and they'd escaped before the same could happen to them.

Then there was Tsunade, whose infamous beauty concealed her age. She was standing, a stern expression in her amber eyes, ready to begin.

There were many others, inside the city walls and outside of the kingdom as well, who'd claimed their allegiance to Konoha and were acting in secret to aid the cause. And as Naruto took his seat around the fire, he was proud to be counted among them.

"All right, everyone," Tsunade announced. "I'm glad to see so many of you were able to make it here safely."

No one spoke, so she continued.

"At this moment, Sasuke's infiltrating the palace. His objective is to secure Orochimaru's trust, and convince him that he is on his side. This should not be difficult to achieve; as Orochimaru's favorite pupil, Sasuke is trusted implicitly."

"But how can WE trust him?" Kiba asked with a deep frown. "He betrayed us before, didn't he? Left Konoha in the middle of the night to learn from that Oto psychopath. How can we be sure he's REALLY on our side?"

"I trust him," Tsunade said coolly. "My reasons are my own, but I would not lay my trust within him so arbitrarily. We are a small rebellion, but a rebellion nonetheless, and as such, we must trust each other or we will crumble. Our cause will crumble, and Konoha is doomed. Understand?"

Kiba nodded curtly, and Tsunade continued.

"Sasuke will be sending us a message by hawk this evening, on Sakura's status as well as any information Orochimaru reveals to him. At the earliest possible moment, he will release Sakura and send her to us. It is imperative that Sakura remain alive, because she has won the trust and allegiance of the people of Konoha. When Orochimaru is overthrown, we will instate her as queen immediately."

"That'll show 'em," Naruto said with a grin, considerably loosening the tense atmosphere. Even Tsunade spared a smirk as she put her hands on her waist.

"Now…while we're waiting for Sasuke's message…let's go over just how this coup d'etat is going to go down, shall we?"

xoxoxo

Sasuke strode into the palace with calm, measured steps. His hands were shoved into his pockets, his gaze bored and detached as he took in the familiar crème-colored walls and high, vaulted ceilings, wide floor-length windows and pale flowing curtains of the Haruno palace. Memories sprang, unbidden, to his mind, memories of chasing a pink-haired, laughing little brat of a girl down these halls. She'd always been the fastest of all their friends, the most difficult to snare.

He fought the fond memory with fatalism, as always. He was here on a mission, one that, if discovered, would spell the end not only of Sakura, but of the revolution itself.

Not to mention, he highly doubted the fact that Sakura would want to see him in the first place. He was dreading the moment they saw one another again, dreading the betrayal he would no doubt see reflected in stormy green eyes. It was necessary, he reminded himself. Necessary that she remain convinced of his allegiance with Orochimaru, along with everyone else. Until he could liberate her from her prison, she had to believe that he was her enemy.

Keeping this in mind, he continued towards the throne room. The Oto soldiers who lined the halls looked surprised at his appearance, but all of them feared both his and Orochimaru's reactions too much to properly confront him. Smirking in smugness, he strode right through the massive cedar doors and found Orochimaru right where he expected to find him: seated on the king's throne with a victorious expression on his sallow face.

"Why, Sasuke-kun," cooed the new king of Konoha, grinning. "This IS a surprise. My prodigal apprentice, returning from his travels to the land of his birth."

"I'd heard you might do something like this," Sasuke replied, keeping his voice level, even mocking. "I came to see if the rumors were true."

"And they are!" Orochimaru replied gleefully, gesturing around him. "I've made a few minor personnel changes, as you'll see…"

Indeed, of all the people gathered in the royal hall, Sasuke recognized none of them as Konoha citizens. He was entirely surrounded by Oto soldiers and councilmen. It seemed that everyone in the palace had fled before his arrival.

"Hn."

"Do tell me all about your travels, Sasuke-kun!" Orochimaru patted the smaller seat beside him; Sasuke recognized it instantly as Sakura's throne. She used to complain to him in their childhood about having to sit there through all of her fathers' council meetings, and how uncomfortable it was. Keeping his expression unreadable, he took the seat he was offered.

"Obviously didn't have as much fun as YOU'VE been having," Sasuke replied evasively with a conspiratorial smirk, as though sharing in Orochimaru's triumphs rather than reviling them. "How long did it take you to pull THIS off?"

Orochimaru fingered the heavy crown on his head with the saccharine tenderness of a lover, and smirked. "Many, many years of planning, culminating in a two-week takeover that not a single person here was prepared for. It was almost embarrassingly easy."

"So you killed them all?" Sasuke already knew the answer, but it was necessary to affect ignorance. "The Harunos."

"Ah, not all of them. The king and queen went quickly and quietly, of course, but the little princess...I saw no reason to wring her pretty neck like her parents'. I think you'll find she's much more useful and ah…entertaining…alive. If you don't mind me speaking so flippantly of the girl once foresworn to be your sweet little wife."

The salacious tone Orochimaru had taken when discussing Sakura made Sasuke's stomach turn, but he settled for rolling his eyes.

"Foresworn? Tch. More like idle palace gossip. She was never mine."

"Then it was mere conjecture, eh? No secret marriage contract?"

"Aa."

Orochimaru smirked at this piece of news. "Then you've dodged a bullet, haven't you. Well, my dear Sasuke-kun, now that you've confirmed the good news about Konoha, what will you be doing next? Leaving to continue your travels, or staying here to resume your training? I've much left to teach you, my wayward apprentice."

"Staying," replied Sasuke carelessly. "I've hit a plateau with my training." A lie. Since rejoining with Kakashi and Naruto and the others, Sasuke's skills had only improved. But better that the Oto king believe that he still had much to learn than to know how very deadly he was.

"As I suspected you might," Orochimaru said with a grin. "And Lady Karin will be most happy to learn that you will be sticking with us for a time."

Sasuke remembered Karin's shameless advances during his time in Otogakure, and compared the experience to having bamboo shoots shoved beneath his nails. He didn't bother hiding his disgust, and Orochimaru chuckled in response.

A disturbance in the hallway disrupted their conversation, and both men glanced towards the cedar doors Sasuke had just stepped through. A grin twisted Orochimaru's thin lips and he sneered, "So, Sasuke-kun…wouldn't you like to see how your little friend turned out? It's been a long time since you've seen one another, hasn't it?"

Sasuke recalled the serene, regal young woman he'd seen earlier in the Square. It was only moments since he'd watched them drag her off, but it had been years since he'd looked into her eyes. He could not crumble in his resolve, no matter how much those heartbreaking green eyes would threaten to tear down his convictions, bring him to his knees.

"I don't care," he replied scathingly.

"Ooh, as cold as ever," Orochimaru chuckled, waving to the guards at the doors. "Bring her in."

Sasuke glanced boredly towards the opening doors, schooling his features into an expression of complete disinterest, when in all actuality, he drank the scene in with his eyes, committing all of it to memory. Two guards were dragging Sakura in, and it appeared she was struggling. Her pink hair concealed her face from him as they yanked her inside by her slender arms, and to his boiling anger, he saw that she was still wearing the shredded dress from earlier, revealing much more of her body than he would want anyone to see.

"Little wildcat, isn't she?" Orochimaru spoke with naked amusement as he surveyed the scene before them. "Why, Sakura-chan…won't you calm down enough to say hello to your old friend?"

Sakura, cursing the men who held her with a sailor's tongue, turned her acid gaze towards Orochimaru, her very expression damning him to hell with all the capability of a vengeful goddess. She moved to glare at Sasuke, whom Orochimaru was gesturing towards, and Sasuke watched her _freeze._

Beautiful green eyes widened in shock. Her skin paled.

Then, an unholy snarl curled across her pouty pink lips, her stormy eyes full of hellfire as she hissed, "_You._"

**note..** Hey there. I may change the rating, I'm not sure, but I envision this taking a dark and sexy turn (because Sasuke and Sakura are dark and sexy and I can't just not write that) at some point. Thanks for reading and please review so I know what to work on! Have a good day, everyone :)

**note2..** Also out of curiosity, any other Phillies fans out there? I can't be the only one.


	5. Loyalties

This couldn't be happening.

Sakura forgot everything in that moment. She forgot the two guards (who'd been getting fresher and more comfortable putting their hands on her with every passing minute) holding onto her arms. She forgot the raw ache in her back from the whipping. She forgot the crushing despair she'd felt the moment the Haruno mantle had been lifted off of her shoulders, and her family's 300-year reign came to a screeching halt.

How dare he. How dare he show his face back here.

Uchiha Sasuke was even more handsome than she remembered, but she hadn't seen him in five years. He bore the startling good looks of the Uchiha Clan, dark hair and eyes, pale skin, a well-defined bone structure and a sculpted, toned physique. His gaze, as it fell on her, was bored, detached, as he always had been. He was dressed like an Oto captain.

Sakura hated him.

"_You,_" she hissed. "You _traitor..._what are you doing here?"

If Sasuke was affected by her scathing greeting, he didn't show it. He was sitting on her throne (something she cursed him yet again for) and running his thumb along the hilt of his sword in a slow, relaxed rhythm. He regarded her without the slightest glimmer of curiosity or remorse.

"My goodness, Orochimaru-sama," an oily voice sneered from behind, and Sakura whipped her head around to see Kabuto stroll easily into the room. His arms were folded, and a sinister smirk tilted his lips. "Not ten minutes here, and already you're receiving esteemed guests into your court! Welcome back, Sasuke-kun, it's been awhile. What brings you to Konoha, a place I should think you would never want to see again?"

Sakura glared at Sasuke, waiting for his reply. When he spoke again, his voice was deep velvet, much lower than she recalled from their childhood and full of an iciness that made her want to run.

"Training," he said smoothly. He turned his gaze away from Sakura as though she were beneath his notice. "Not that it's your concern. It would appear though that this weak, useless kingdom has met a well-deserved end."

"You _bastard,_" Sakura started, but one of the soldiers holding her clocked her ruthlessly in the side of the head. Out of morbid curiosity, she glanced at Sasuke to gauge his reaction, but he didn't so much as flinch.

Orochimaru chuckled and removed his stolen crown to admire it from a different angle. Snakelike eyes examined the white gold, velvet-lined symbol of Haruno reign, and narrowed when they fell on the Haruno crest: a lick of flame, representing the so-called Will of Fire, surrounded by a white circle, representing eternity.

"Oh, I've more plans for this kingdom than the end you believe it deserves, Sasuke-kun," he spoke, and Sakura watched in horror and fury as he pulled a dagger from the folds of his military uniform and scratched the Haruno crest in one precise movement. "You will find it rich in resources, to say nothing of its proximity to the ocean and the easy trade access to the neighbouring kingdoms."

"So you're gonna bleed it dry, right," Sasuke drawled, disinterested in what was going on, and Sakura was gripped by a desire to run him through with a sword. "Take the fish, the rice, everything and leave it to burn."

Orochimaru smiled as he returned the crown to his head, long, oily black hair spilling into his sallow, drawn face as an unholy sneer unfurled on his lips. "I think you'll find, Sasuke-kun, that Konoha has far more to offer to me than fish and rice."

He said nothing more than that, but his yellow eyes practically feasted on Sakura, who was torn between nausea and outright rage. Her world was falling apart, and Sasuke felt the need to return now, of all times? Just to watch it burn?

"What'll we do with the little tramp, Orochimaru-sama?" asked the guard who had hit her. He shook her arm for good measure. "She's not going tamely."

"'Do not go gentle into that good night,'" quoted Orochimaru in amusement. "It seems we'll have our hands full with this one, Kabuto. Tell me, my dear. What do you think should be done with you? Think like a queen, the queen you might have been."

"I AM queen," Sakura hissed. "I am queen as long as the people of Konoha say I am. You are nothing more than a thief, and like all thieves, you will meet a punishment equivalent to the severity of your crime!"

"Ah, interesting perspective, Sakura-chan. Do go on."

"Oh believe me, I shall." Her voice was full of loathing, bitterness. She couldn't bring herself to look at Sasuke another minute, so she directed all of her hatred into one burning gaze locked on Orochimaru. "You've stolen something, Orochimaru...you've stolen something and in doing so you have not only enraged and united a nation against you, you will now spend the rest of your pathetic life fighting to keep it! You will never rest easy, you will never sleep secure knowing you must always be on your guard to defend what was never rightfully yours!"

"Brava, Sakura-chan, brava!" Orochimaru clapped good-naturedly at her speech. "As clever as Tsunade-chan, and certainly as beautiful. You would have made a striking queen, dear girl. But unfortunately for you, there are none who would oppose me, none foolish or noble enough to challenge my authority. I sleep as soundly as ever, I'm afraid. But what's to be done with you? I ask again."

"Kill me," she snapped. "Execute me like a coward, like you did with my parents! I will never recognize your authority, I will continue to oppose you, I will continue to stake my claim to this throne and be your opponent for the rest of my life."

"Which is in my hands, little one," he reminded her lightly. "And I'll have you know, there are things much worse than death. I do not think such a quick and dignified end is what a rebellious, headstrong little fool such as yourself deserves." Gone was the amusement in his eyes, replaced with iciness, a chilling menace that had Sakura shrinking away from him just slightly as he leaned out of his throne. "I will show you what happens to those foolish would-be heroes who dare to challenge me."

He snapped his fingers. "Take her to the interrogation room," he instructed the guards coldly. "Find out what she knows about Otogakure and any possible insurrection. Do what you must to get her to talk, but leave her in one piece, understand?"

_Insurrection?_ Sakura's mind latched onto the word as the guards nodded their understanding. She spared Sasuke one last glance full of loathing before she was dragged out of the throne room. _If Orochimaru is worried about insurgents already...then that must be it! There must be a rebellion!_

That would certainly explain the absences of absolutely everyone she cared about at her deposition. They were either dead (a possibility she refused to consider) or had gone into hiding (the far likelier option.) That would explain Tsunade's mysterious nonappearance. Joy throbbed within Sakura at the possibility that Konoha would not surrender so tamely to Orochimaru's hostile takeover.

Even if she was killed, even if she was never restored to the throne, she prayed that whatever revolution was occurring would be successful. Her best friends were still alive, it seemed, still alive and as unwilling as she was to submit to the authority of the usurper. There was a possibility. A remote possibility, but a possibility all the same that Ino, Naruto, Hinata, Kiba and the others were all right.

She would need to contact Tsunade, and immediately. Despite having no idea where her flighty, traveling aunt was presently located, Sakura knew that if she could get up to the aviary, she could send her a message by hawk. Hawks were notoriously clever, and the Haruno birds were specially trained to track down anyone based on bloodscent; all the birds residing in the aviary were familiar with the aroma of Sakura's blood, as well as Tsunade's.

This would not be easy to accomplish. The guards tugged her down the exquisite marble hallways through a door Sakura had never been allowed to pass through; it was small and made of iron, and it led straight to the interrogation room and the dungeons.

The dungeons hadn't been used in over a century. They were deemed inhumane and the entrances were sealed off, the prisoners relocated to the new prison built a mile from the Square. Sakura couldn't begin to fathom what horrors lay in wait, horrors she had lived only one floor above for her entire life, as the guards, chuckling in threat, dragged her down into the darkness.

Whatever it was, though, she resolved to weather. And no matter what they did to her, she would not give Orochimaru so much as a whisper of information.

xoxoxo

Sasuke's heart thrummed an agonized cadence in his chest, and it was only with years upon years of practice that he manage to keep his face expressionless.

It defied absolutely every instinct within him to remain quiet and cold as Sakura, his closest friend growing up, ran her mouth off at Orochimaru and was subsequently dragged away, to _interrogation_ of all places. Having trained with Orochimaru for so long, Sasuke was more than familiar with the practices of his interrogators. They delighted in pain and specialized in torture. Not even brave, spunky Sakura would last very long under their cruelty.

He could not afford to break her out just yet. He would compromise the already-tenuous trust Orochimaru placed within him, if on the first day of his return, Orochimaru's most prized prisoner made a miraculous escape to freedom from a heavily-guarded jail cell. To liberate Sakura tonight meant giving himself away, and unfortunately for her, Sasuke was more valuable to the rebellion the longer he was able to remain in close contact with Orochimaru.

Some sacrifices were necessary, he reminded himself fiercely. Sometimes things, even precious things, even important things, had to be given up for the greater good. Orochimaru would not kill Sakura just yet, he'd said so himself. Having her around was too entertaining for him. Sasuke _would_ save her, and until such a time as he could, he would simply have to endure the thoughts of the horrors in store for her.

"I must admit, I'm surprised at you, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto said suddenly, jerking him out of his self-loathing. "To sit there, calm and collected, while your childhood sweetheart is sent off to interrogation?"

"I must agree, boy. Perhaps there was no marriage contract, but to simply stand down while the pretty little thing's taken off to the interrogators?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow in sheer amusement as he relaxed into the ivory throne. "That is ruthless, even for you."

"There is no bond between us any longer," Sasuke said icily. "She was a girl from my childhood, nothing more. What you do to her is none of my concern."

The Oto councilmen present in the throne room seemed satisfied with his answer, as though his disinterest in Sakura's fate was proof of his return to Oto custom. But Sasuke could tell, just by the suspicion flickering in Kabuto's slate-grey eyes, that he had not yet convinced _everyone._

He would need to change that, he realized. Kabuto was Orochimaru's right-hand man, the smarmy, slimy individual to whom Orochimaru confided more than any other. If Sasuke could get Kabuto to talk...

The scream that arose from beneath the palace floors made his grip lock around the hilt of his sword. No one seemed to notice his sudden movement, though, nor the sharp exhale of breath he released through his nose to calm himself.

That was Sakura's scream.


	6. Interrogation

The messenger hawk arrived at the rebel camp at 8:30 that evening.

Naruto was still processing the details Tsunade had shared with them over the past few hours. She'd divulged her plans in their entirety, and to Naruto's surprise, they were pretty straightforward. Perhaps it was his own childish naivete, but he'd been imagining something a bit more complex than 1) assassinate Orochimaru and 2) attack the Oto soldiers in the middle of the night.

But Tsunade was older, and she was very cunning. She'd seen much in her years, and with her experience in the military as a field medic, he and the others trusted her implicitly.

They would need to get close to Orochimaru, and that could take awhile.

"Why not let Sasuke do it himself?" Ino asked, as Tsunade caught the hawk on her arm and stroked its feathers. "He's in the castle right now, isn't he? Let him kill the bastard and be done with it."

"We can't be too hasty," Tsunade replied as she removed the scroll tied tightly to the hawk's left leg. "Orochimaru may be the king of Otogakure, but he is just one man; we need to learn what he has been up to. This attack on Konoha was planned, and planned very well. It must have taken him years to compile the necessary information on how best to shut down the city. We need to know who is working with him to make all of this possible...Oto alone is not a strong enough kingdom to do what he's done. Someone is helping him."

"What's it say?" Naruto demanded. "The scroll, baachan...what's it say?"

She spared him a withering glare at his rudeness, but read the scroll aloud nonetheless.

"Granny,

I miss you! I won't be able to see you for awhile, there's so much going on here. There's a lot of soldiers from a place called Oto. More than I can even count to! They're not very nice. They trampled on that pretty cherry blossom tree near the palace...it's beat up real bad but it looks like it'll be okay. I'm going to school now and Mama's in the rice fields while Daddy's going out with the other fishermen. Hopefully I don't need to go to the doctor like a lot of other people!

I saw a big snake today. It had a lot of snake friends. It was scary but I found out if you're nice to snakes, they're nice to you, too.

Don't forget that Konoha Independence Day's coming up! Hope I see you at the fireworks!

Love, Chiha-kun."

Hearing all of that, Naruto's jaw dropped. "_Sasuke_ wrote that? _Uchiha Sasuke _wrote that childish piece of crap? Are you serious?"

"It's code, you moron," Shikamaru muttered from his seated position before the dying fire. He was running a knife along a whetstone to sharpen the blade, and barely looked up. "He can't flatout write what's going on, that hawk could've been intercepted by anyone. Take it line by line. It's elementary."

Tsunade nodded as she dissected Sasuke's encrypted letter. "He's telling us he won't be able to meet with us anytime soon. Now that he's infiltrated, it won't be easy for him to come and go. He goes on to say that there are more Oto soldiers than we expected..."

"The next part's about Sakura," Ino revealed, reading the letter over Tsunade's shoulder.

"How do you figure that?" Kiba wanted to know.

"The cherry blossom tree from the palace? It's Sakura. He's telling us she's hurt, but she'll be all right." Ino looked very pale, but relieved. "I wonder what they're doing to her..."

"It's no use dwelling on it now," Neji said firmly. "Continue, Tsunade-sama."

"The rest is about Orochimaru's plans for the Konoha people," Tsunade went on. "This is one of Orochimaru's signatures: he sends the children to school, into a specialized education program that glorifies Otogakure and condemns the other nations. His goal is to brainwash the entire generation into mindless servitude. The others are more obvious. He's assigned every woman in the kingdom to work in the rice fields, while the men take the fishing boats out to sea. He's going to drain the resources."

Naruto was so angry he couldn't see straight. The woods were quiet except for the crackling of the fire and the rustling of the letter as it was passed back and forth between the rebel leaders. That was his home back there, his home destroyed, his people enslaved...his best friend taken prisoner...

"And then he tells us when he will meet us next," Tsunade finished. "The fireworks celebration at the end of the month...apparently Orochimaru has decided to let Konoha celebrate its summer festival."

"How generous," Shikaku quipped dryly. "Bastard."

"So Sasuke's not gonna meet us till the festival?" Naruto asked in confusion. "What if he needs help? He's all by himself back there."

"No he's not," replied Kakashi, his visible eye lifting into a smile. "We have other contacts on the inside, posing as Oto servants. Sasuke's our chief informant, but the others are in place to warn us immediately if he runs into any trouble."

"Well what about Sakura?" Naruto pressed. "She's beat up real bad, he said. What can we do to help her?"

There was silence as everyone shifted uncomfortably. No one liked the idea of Sakura suffering alone, but at the moment, the only option they had was to wait and see. In order to keep Sasuke as a contact within the palace, he needed to have Orochimaru and everyone else from Oto convinced that he was on their side. If he opposed the way she was treated, or was caught trying to help her escape, his cover would be blown, and their most valuable leak into Oto's operations was gone.

To drive Oto out of Konoha for good, they would need to keep Sasuke under Orochimaru's nose for as long as possible, before he was given the green light to assassinate him.

"My niece is strong," Tsunade said finally, the wind stirring her long blonde hair as she stared hard into the fire. "She will know that we have not forsaken her in such dark times. The Will of Fire burns bright within her. When this is over...she will make an excellent Queen."

There was no talking after that.

xoxoxo

Sakura let the pain anchor her to reality.

She would not allow herself to pass out. She did not want to imagine what the Oto interrogators would do to her if she was unconscious.

It seemed Orochimaru spared no expense where his top-of-the-line interrogation department was concerned. They seemed to thrive on cruelty, both physical and mental.

It felt like days had passed since her incarceration in the interrogation room, but in reality, she knew it had only been a few hours. Time passed differently when no windows lent her light by which to gauge time, and whenever she tried to catch her breath, someone would shove her head beneath the surface of an iron tub full of dirty water.

She was soaking wet. Her formal dress was shredded past any utility, and she was clad only in an ivory slip that came to her knees. It was bloody and torn, and too revealing. The lecherous remarks and errant touches of the interrogators confirmed that.

But to her credit, she divulged nothing. She knew nothing about a rebellion, and her answers to that effect were truthful. The interrogators asked her about the Konoha military, and she kept silent except for a string of curses and strangled screams. They wanted to know about any hints of subversion, and she told them all to go to hell.

The ropes around her wrists and ankles were tight, the skin beneath them red and torn. Each time they dunked her in the tub, they held her down longer, until the bubbles escaped her mouth and she felt like her lungs would burst, before wrenching her out again to ask a question.

Long it continued into the night, but Sakura kept her silence.

xoxoxo

The sloshing of water and the muffled yells from below did nothing to ease Sasuke into a peaceful sleep.

Upon revealing to Orochimaru his desire to stay and train, he had been welcomed immediately, and assigned his own quarters in the east wing of the palace. The halls were teeming with guards, and their heavy footsteps outside his new room kept him on edge. He could never be too careful; any one of those sets of footsteps could belong to someone who carried the intent to dispatch Orochimaru's prized apprentice.

He did not lay in the bed, preferring to sit by the wide bay window and stare out at the abandoned streets. The sight reminded him why he was here, torturing himself with memories better left in the past, or forgotten completely. The Konoha he remembered was teeming with life, even late at night; couples on romantic walks in the moonlight, children rushing to sleepovers, shopkeepers returning after a long day at work.

Now, there was nothing. Nothing to suggest anyone lived there, save for the stray Oto soldier running patrol.

He would not sleep until he could determine Sakura's condition. Judging from the sound of water sloshing back and forth, he could guess that they were attempting to drown her into submission. The frequent feminine swearing that followed each splash of water told him that they were not succeeding.

Sakura's inner rebelliousness would be her undoing.

She seemed to have grown a diamond spine in his absence. As a child, she'd been feisty but easily frightened, outspoken but intimidated. That did not seem to be the case anymore. That bone-deep confidence he'd seen when she climbed the steps to the dais that morning hadn't been a trick of the light.

She would make a fine queen, he realized. He owed it to her, and to all of his former friends, to see to it that she was reinstated. Even though she'd looked at him with such anger, such hatred, such betrayal, she still held his complete loyalty, and she wasn't even aware of it.

He would never forgive himself for allowing her to suffer as she was. He'd watched her take twenty lashes on her bare back, knowing the pain himself, and knowing how intense it was. He'd watched a man twice her size hit her in the side of the head, and said nothing. Now, he was listening as she was tortured, _tortured_ in the dungeons of her own palace.

Despite knowing that his temporary inactivity was necessary, he loathed what he was reduced to.

He would avenge this, he vowed. He would avenge Sakura's suffering. He would kill Orochimaru, Kabuto, and anyone else who stood in his way.

They would pay for this. He would make sure of it.


	7. Healing

Orochimaru strode purposefully down into the dungeons. He took in the sights eagerly, the walls lined with filthy cells and rusted cages deemed unfit for human habitation.

A perfect place to keep his uncooperative little treasure.

He headed to a cell at the very end of the hall, and was greeted with the sight of pink hair splayed on the cold tiles and blood flowing from twenty different nicks on porcelain ivory skin.

The torturers had gleaned nothing from the interrogation. Sakura, despite her appearance as a delicate, fragile slip of a girl, had held her own against them, and for that, she'd earned Orochimaru's respect. But he knew more than one way to break even the strongest of men, and Sakura, like every other human on the planet, had her breaking point. He would not only push her to it, he would throw her past it.

The torturers, however, would suffer his displeasure. One narrow-eyed glance in their direction had them skittering out of the cell, to be punished later. Orochimaru stepped inside the small cell and, folding his arms, clicked his tongue in disappointment at the girl on the floor.

"Well, well, well, Sakura-chan," he remarked coolly, shaking his head. "Look at what's become of you."

She gave a muffled groan and didn't move. Orochimaru drank her in, and felt a gripping arousal steal through his body at the sight of her. Soaking wet and shivering, wearing only a thin white dress that revealed her long, perfect legs, her pink hair fanned messily around her. Knifewounds, shallow but painful, littered her body, blood seeping onto the damp stones.

"The famous princess of Konoha, the heir to the esteemed Haruno throne," Orochimaru intoned. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Your parents, God keep them, must be turning in their graves."

Sakura lifted her head and snarled an incoherent string of curses at him. He chuckled, thoroughly amused by her continued rebellion, and kicked her sharply in the same, the pointed toe of his thick leather boots striking her directly in the solar plexus and knocking the wind out of her.

"Now, that's enough, little one. You seem to be giving me much more trouble than you're worth. Your silence in the face of my interrogation is admirable, but I will remind you that you are a prisoner here, and I am not a merciful warden. I will ask you this once: What do you know of a rebel insurrection?"

"Nothing," Sakura hissed back, immediately and honestly. "And if I did, I would never tell _you._"

"I believe you," Orochimaru simpered, kneeling to stroke her hair. She cringed away from him and he chuckled and grabbed her throat, his long fingers squeezing until she coughed. "But that's not what I want to hear. I know Tsunade-chan's up to something. I want to know what. So try again. What do you know of..."

"N-Nothing!" Sakura choked, unable to breathe with his iron grip around her neck. Unable to resist, he bent his head and licked the side of her face, her skin tasting bitter from the dirty water the interrogators were submerging her in. She gave a strangled cry of disgust and he gave a deep, throaty laugh at her reaction.

"Very well, then. I will leave you here to contemplate your insubordination. When I return next week, I will expect a more suitable answer than this. We shall see if a week with no food in that pretty stomach of yours..." Here he kissed her flat stomach through one of the holes torn through her dress. "...loosens your tongue a little."

With that, he released her throat, left her cell, locked it behind him and disappeared down the hallway. The outer doors slammed shut, and Sakura, drowning in darkness, allowed her eyes to close at last.

xoxoxo

Sasuke watched the entire thing from the shadows, his stomach twisting, his hand locked around his sword. Seeing Orochimaru make a beeline for the dungeons, he'd quickly and stealthily followed behind. Orochimaru didn't know he was here. It would be easy, so easy to attack the king of Otogakure when his back was turned. So effortless, to slice his head clean off with one even stroke of his sword, and grab Sakura and run.

He knew it was too soon for something like that, but Sasuke had his limits. He would not stand idly by as Orochimaru raped Sakura, and it seemed like it was heading that way.

Luckily for everyone, Orochimaru seemed to lose interest. After threatening Sakura with a week's worth of starvation, he locked her back in the cell and left. His footsteps sounded on the stone staircase, ascending to the ground level of the palace. Then there was silence.

Sasuke wasted no time. He left his hiding spot in one of the adjacent cells, crouched behind a metal cot, and set about picking the lock on Sakura's door. While he worked, maneuvering his dagger through the lock in precise movements, Sakura didn't so much as stir. She lay on her side facing away from him, and he could tell she was unconscious.

He'd have to make quick work of this; he didn't want her to wake up while he was down there. He couldn't afford to blow his cover to anyone, not even her. A resounding _click_ in his ear registered that he'd hit the tumblers with the tip of his dagger. The rusty lock gave way, and he was inside the cell in an instant.

Making sure his gloved hands were steady, he turned Sakura onto her back to examine her. What she was wearing couldn't constitute as clothes, and the finger-shaped bruises on her upper thighs made his blood boil. Ignoring his burning anger at this grave injustice, he placed his ear against her chest to check her heartbeat. It was low, but strong. She was all right.

He lifted her head from the cold stone ground and set it on his knee while he worked. He needed to dress the major wounds, or risk Sakura bleeding out over the next week. He could tell by the various thin, shallow cuts that they were made by a knife, and part of him was glad that Sakura wasn't awake; he tipped some antiseptic onto a clean cloth and pressed it to the nastiest of the wounds.

Each wound he dressed was a reminder of what he was fighting for. Sakura was the last person in the world who deserved something like this. The idea that such an innocent person was embroiled in this bloody, violent _mess_ made him sick to his stomach.

But she was too far in, now. They all were.

All of the worst cuts were cleaned. There was nothing he could do about the bruises on her legs and throat, they would have to heal on their own. Sasuke doubted he'd ever be able to erase those images from his mind, the blue-purple marks on her otherwise-untouched skin.

He removed the black cloak he was wearing earlier that day to camouflage himself, and tucked it in a hidden corner of the cell. Sakura would find it when she woke up, and hopefully she would have the sense to hide it again when Orochimaru came for her; she would need something to keep her warm in this freezing cold wasteland.

Another problem, he noted grimly, was food. He hadn't brought any with him, and now he wished he had. Orochimaru planned to starve Sakura into submission, but a week without food was barbaric, even by the feared Oto king's standards. He would need to find a way to smuggle food into Sakura's cell, but the likelihood of his being able to break away from a strict training regimen with Orochimaru to secretly feed his prisoner was not good. Especially not if Kabuto kept as close an eye on him as he had been that whole day.

Sasuke set Sakura down gently and brushed a damp lock of hair out of her face. She had absolutely no place here, this beautiful, innocent little girl. What he wouldn't give to pull her out of this mess she'd been dragged into.

Till then, he would have to find a way to sneak food and water down to Sakura. And, remembering Kabuto's knowing, watchful gaze, it would be far from easy.

xoxoxo

When Sakura woke up, everything hurt, but not in the right way.

When she'd passed out, she remembered the sharp sting of little cuts all over her body. Now, they didn't sting; they throbbed dully, like they were several days old. She sat up groggily to examine them, and to her shock, she made out the shiny veneer of a common antiseptic, used to treat minor cuts and wounds.

Someone had cleaned her wounds for her while she was unconscious! But who? And why? Wouldn't Orochimaru be much more satisfied if she suffered not only hunger pains, but these infuriating little wounds as well? Wounds that, if left untreated on someone in her deplorable condition at the moment, would become inflamed and infected or worse?

She shivered, and when goosebumps erupted on her bare arms, she remembered she was freezing. Slowly, her head pounding, her eyes adjusting slowly to the darkness of the cell, she looked around for something to keep warm, and to her complete shock, she found a dark black cloak wrapped neatly beneath the metal cot she would never sleep in.

It was still warm, she realized, from someone else's body heat. And it smelled _good._ It was a familiar smell, and she contemptuously noted that one of Orochimaru's guards had a lot of nerve to smell like something that attracted her. All the same, she knew a dire situation when she saw one. Now was not the time to turn her nose up at something that could keep her warm in this freezing dungeon.

Sakura had no idea how much time had passed since she'd been brought down here. The dungeons were windowless, the only light peeling in from a crack beneath the door at the far end of the hallway. She had no choice at this point but to wait. She wrapped herself up in the warm cloak, which was large enough to cover her whole body. She decided to devote this time to her next move.

If Orochimaru thought she was going to submit to him tamely, she thought savagely, then he had better think again.

xoxoxo

Sasuke, leaving a wounded but treated Sakura in the cell, was reasonably satisfied in her relative health, at least for that night. He slipped unseen back up the winding staircase and through the doors that led into the grand hallway. He smirked at his success before falling into a leisurely stroll back to his quarters in the east wing. If anyone saw him now, they would dismiss the sight as one of his many nighttime walks, something he was known for taking back in Otogakure.

He opened the door to his room, and shut and locked the door behind him. A quick precautionary sweep of the room revealed no intruders or, in the case of Karin, no unwanted sleeping partners. Rather than lay down on the large, luxurious bed, despite how tempting the fluffy down blankets appeared, Sasuke took his seat in the bay window. He leaned his back against the sill, the position hard and jarring, and he finally closed his eyes.

If Sakura couldn't sleep comfortably that night, then neither would he.

He was lulled into a shallow, dreamless sleep, content in the satisfaction that he'd successfully infiltrated Orochimaru's current residence. The first objective of his mission had been met.

Now, he needed to get Orochimaru to spill his secrets.

The sooner he got the filthy bastard to sing like a canary, the sooner he could kill him.

**note..**I genuinely can't stop writing this story. Please leave a review, and thank you to those who already have :)


	8. Hidden Agendas

Karin woke early the next morning, a happy smile on her face.

Her first day as Lady of Konoha was now beginning. First thing on the agenda: redo this shabby chic bedroom that absolutely _reaked_ of her pink-haired princess predecessor. Rising quickly out of bed, she slipped her glasses on her face and, with a contemptuous sneer, tore the sheer curtains right off the window.

This virginal decor had to go, if she was to have a proper boudoir established for Sasuke-kun.

It had been a long time since she'd seen him. He defected to Oto from Konoha when he was 12, then left Orochimaru when he was 16, close to two years ago. But during his stint under Orochimaru's tutelage, he had made one thing quite clear: his desire to restore the Uchiha Clan to its former glory.

And to do that, Karin knew, he would need a suitable wife.

For a time, she fretted that there was a girl back home for Sasuke-kun, a girl he might return to, when his training with Orochimaru was up. Sasuke-kun was handsome and powerful, cool and detached and everything a girl could ever want in a boy; it seemed impossible that he wouldn't already have someone waiting for him.

For a time, Karin worried that that girl was the very princess of Konoha. The rumors spread from nation to nation, and even all the way in Oto, Karin was well aware that Sasuke's friendship with the Haruno heiress was well-known.

After yesterday, however, Karin was reasonably confident that she could eliminate Sakura as a competitor in the battle for Sasuke's body. Now that she was Lady of Konoha, how could he possibly refuse her romantic advances _now?_ Sakura was in prison, most likely for the rest of her life. Would Sasuke prefer a _convict_ to the Lady of Konoha, as the matriarch of his clan?

Karin let the sheer curtains Sakura had loved so much fall to the floor, and began redesigning the room in her head with Sasuke's tastes in mind. Surely he would like dark, deep red curtains, black velvet blankets, perhaps an uchiwa fan painted regally over the head of the bed...

The very thought of Sasuke seeing this room, _their_ room, made her weak in the knees. Imagining his tall, strong physique, his silhouette framed in the doorway as his smoldering gaze met hers, promising sin...

She sighed and gave a tittering laugh of excitement; when Kabuto had informed her that Sasuke was there, in the palace, at that very moment, she could barely get herself to sleep. But she knew that Sasuke would appreciate her beauty sleep; such a gorgeous man required an exquisitely beautiful woman, and it wouldn't do to present herself to him with bags under her eyes, or her hair mussed.

She summoned a pair of palace servants and ordered them to draw her a bath, before selecting one of her finest gowns from the large closet beside the bed. She was going to confront Sasuke today, and she was going to look _gorgeous._

And as for Sakura?

She smirked. _You lose._

xoxoxo

Ino was happy to have something useful to do at last.

The next morning, everyone in the rebel camp packed up their few belongings and relocated to a tiny village in the Land of Fire, bordering the neighouring kingdom. There was no telling when the Oto soldiers would catch up to them, and while Tsunade was reasonably confident that no one knew of their uprising in the first place, it wouldn't do to put too much faith in their stealthiness.

Their primary objective was to rally support from Konoha's chief ally: Sunagakure, a kingdom hundreds of miles away.

The details of Orochimaru's takeover were sketchy at best to the foreign rulers, and that was the way Orochimaru intended to keep it. This was not something they could trust to a hawk messenger. Tsunade required a face-to-face conference with Gaara, King of Sunagakure, to catch him up to speed on the invasion, the assassinations of King and Queen Haruno, the imprisonment of the princess, and the enslavement of the citizens. Once he knew the details, Tsunade trusted that he would honor the alliance between Suna and Konoha, and come to their aid.

Suna's impressive military would be a gargantuan help to their cause.

Tsunade had dispatched Shikamaru and Ino to continue on alone, and make the journey to Suna on foot. It would take weeks of long, arduous travel, but it would be worth it. She would do anything for Sakura, and she would do anything for Konoha. If this could help at all, she would do it all alone if she had to.

But that wouldn't be necessary, it seemed. With a smile, she glanced up at Shikamaru who was walking beside her, his expression bored but his pace hurried. She was glad he was with her.

xoxoxo

The message arrived for Tsunade early that morning.

"Granny,

How are you? I'm great! Only I'm really worried about that cherry blossom tree at the palace. It's wilting and needs water and food, only I'm not sure how to do it since I'm so busy. It doesn't look like it's getting much sunlight. Can you help me?

-Chiha-kun"

Tsunade interpreted it instantly, and had to hand it to Sasuke; he was certainly clever. Fortunately for all of them, she'd had the sense to recruit Konoha citizens still remaining in the city to their cause. She would send a messenger to one of the servants working undercover in the palace.

_Clever boy,_she thought with a smile, writing hasty instructions on a scroll before attaching it to the hawk's leg. _You take care of my niece, and I won't wring your arrogant neck._

xoxoxo

Sakura woke out of a fitful rest, and felt a little better. The medicine was working, and most of the cuts had scabbed over.

Her new opponents, however, would be hunger and thirst. Humans couldn't survive long without water; she would live without food for a week, but it would not be pretty.

Her hair had dried, unfortunately. If she'd been thinking clearly, she would have had the foresight to wring what water she could from her long locks to drink the night before. As it happened, she'd passed out before she could think that far, and woke up with dry hair.

She was grateful to whatever Oto scumbag had cleaned her up and given her this beautifully warm cloak, but she was driving herself mad trying to figure out who it was, and what their motivations were. She couldn't possibly fathom why any of her enemies would help her.

Was it one of her allies?

Did she have any in the palace?

She was completely confused, and completely frustrated. She was useless in this dank, dirty little cell; she couldn't help out with this alleged rebellion that Orochimaru so feared, not while she was kept in here.

What _could_ she do?

Her throat ached, and she realized that a more pressing worry was what she could do without food and water. She was already hungry, already thirsty, and it hadn't been very long since she was thrown in here; it would only get worse from here on out.

As she was debating her next move, she heard footsteps at the top of the winding staircase that led down to the dungeons. Thinking quickly, knowing she couldn't be caught wrapped up in this cloak, she yanked it off of her body and stuffed it behind the metal cot, counting on the shadows to camouflage its dark color. As the footsteps, too light to belong to Orochimaru, descended towards the door at the end of the hall, Sakura quickly scrubbed what little medicine remained from her skin.

The door was opened just a crack, and someone slipped inside. Sakura tensed, wondering why the movements were so stealthy, unless...

"Sakura-chan!"

Shocked, Sakura squinted against the darkness to make out the identity of her visitor. Her jaw dropped.

"_Tenten?_"

Indeed it was. One of her oldest friends, Hyuuga Tenten, was standing outside the cell, staring in at her with a mixture of horror and relief. She was wearing servants' clothes, despite being the honored matriarch of the Hyuuga Clan following her recent marriage to Clan Head Neji.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura whispered, clasping her friend's hands through the bars. "Get out of here! If they catch you...where are Neji-san and the others?"

"I don't have time to explain much right now," Tenten whispered back with a frightened look at the door. She pressed a handful of rolls, a banana, an orange, and a very large glass of water through the bars towards her friend. "Eat the fruit now, save the rolls and the water. Now listen up, Princess...there's a rebellion. I'm part of it. Neji-kun's part of it. Naruto and the others. Everyone is fine...except...I'm sorry. Chouji and Shino didn't make it. They were killed two days before the deposition."

Sakura, midway through eating the banana as fast as she could, put her hand to her chest in grief. "Oh, no."

"They died honorably, Sakura-chan, remember that. But as for the rest of us...I'm here with a few other insurgents, we're working undercover. I'm new to the Hyuuga Clan and Orochimaru doesn't know Neji's even married, let alone to me. I'm anonymous enough to stay here and pretend like I'm an Oto servant; a lot of them came over here from Oto looking for new work."

Sakura peeled the orange quickly and handed the peels to Tenten to dispose of; she didn't want to think about what would happen to her if she was caught with food, or worse: what could happen to Tenten. She drank the water quickly and handed her the glass, another piece of incriminating evidence, before whispering, "Where's my aunt?"

"With the other rebel leaders. They made camp outside of the city and they're on the move."

Sakura wanted to ask her more, but Tenten was already risking so much just by coming down here. This seemed to solve the mystery of who had dressed her wounds and left her the cloak, so she settled for whispering, "Thank you so much, Tenten. For everything."

Tenten smiled reassuringly before whispering back, "I'll be back tomorrow, same time. Orochimaru's training with Sasuke right now."

Before Sakura could hiss her displeasure, Tenten vanished the way she had come. With a soft apology, she closed the door and returned Sakura to her darkness.

xoxoxo

Sasuke's message from Tsunade was received; the issue of feeding Sakura had been addressed, which laid to rest one worry he had.

Another worry, he realized, as he headed to the garden where Orochimaru would resume his training, was the usurper's obvious attraction to her.

Sakura was a girl of uncommon beauty, and despite her young age, many men, prominent men, rulers, noblemen, wayward merchants, down to the lowest criminal, all revered her loveliness. This went beyond that, Sasuke knew, beyond the legendary beauty of an exotic-looking girl. Orochimaru was drawn to her very essence, to the courage and rapier wit that Sakura was so very known for. He was determined, Sasuke knew, to break her, to find her breaking point and incinerate it until there was nothing left of the proud princess everyone so respected.

This would be a problem.

He refused to acknowledge that his personal feelings for the deposed princess were of any consequence in his concerns. For all intents and purposes, she was nothing to him and he was nothing to her. He needed Orochimaru to believe that wholeheartedly; not only would the opposite prove disastrous for the cause, but it would prove disastrous for Sasuke himself. As far as Orochimaru was concerned, he HAD no weaknesses. He could not afford to reveal Sakura as one.

In any case, if Orochimaru were to act on his not-so-subtle attraction, it would traumatize Sakura. He'd seen the effect of rape on women in his various travels, and the thought of seeing that vacant, frightened look in her jade green eyes made him want to stab something. The thought of her joining Orochimaru in his bed as a willing participant made him want to stab some_one,_ but he knew she would never submit to him tamely. She was a hellcat to her core.

It's what would make her such a strong queen, when she was reinstated.

Sakura was, technically speaking, the queen already. After the murder of her parents, she, as first in line, was queen nominally, despite receiving no ceremony to properly anoint her. And while Orochimaru had crowned himself king, as long as Sakura was alive, she was first claimant to the throne.

Which made her, even imprisoned deep below the palace floors, Queen of Konoha even as they spoke. Or rather, some complicated middle between princess and queen, thanks to an old, near-forgotten law that stated she would only be queen when she married.

The matter was extremely confusing, and thinking of cheeky little Sakura marrying anyone at the moment made him strangely agitated. He chose to channel these irritating new emotions into his training, and with a smooth movement that bespoke of years of careful training, he drew his sword and parried Orochimaru's surprise attack without so much as a flinch.

"You've improved, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru observed with a delighted sneer. "Excellent. So have I."

xoxoxo


	9. A Thin Line

Three days passed in much the same manner.

Sasuke could not risk sneaking into the dungeons to check on Sakura. To compromise his position in Orochimaru's household so early in his mission was suicide as far as the rebellion was concerned. He needed to trust in Tsunade and her contacts within the palace to keep Sakura alive, and reasonably healthy.

Instead, he devoted his time to strict training with Orochimaru. He needed the usurper to trust him, and what better way than to pick up where he left off two years ago? When the Oto king was not gleefully overseeing mass executions, authorizing Kabuto and his sadistic medical squad to conduct experiments on random Konoha citizens, or strutting about his newly-acquired palace, he was with Sasuke in the gardens Sakura had loved so much, working with weapons. The beautiful cherry blossom trees for which she had been named, the rosebushes, the fountain surrounded by climbing stargazer lilies and flowers of every color, all of it was torn to shreds.

Sasuke stared at a cherry blossom lying helplessly on the ruined grass, torn ruthlessly from its branch by an errant sword strike, and kept his face clear when Orochimaru crushed it beneath the heel of his boot.

"You're not curious as to your little sweetheart's condition, Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru asked, his thin lips curling into a knowing smirk as he dug his heel even harder into the destroyed little flower. His eyes flickered between Sasuke's sword and his black eyes, which conveyed nothing but cold calculation. "It's been a few days...don't you wonder how she's faring?"

"I don't care about that," Sasuke replied arrogantly, taking three jabs toward Orochimaru, who deflected each blow with ease. "I came back to train. Not entertain years-old palace gossip."

Orochimaru just chuckled and with a masterful slash of his sword that belied his advancing age, he sliced a shallow cut across Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke jumped backwards, the sharp sting on his face a bitter, acrimonious reminder that, for all of his skill, he could still be defeated by his old master. Sasuke could not afford to become too complacent with his swordsmanship, not when facing an opponent like Orochimaru. He was not the best swordsman in the country for no reason, and even though Sasuke was much younger, faster, and fitter, he could not risk underestimating the bastard.

"Good, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru said finally, sheathing his sword. "We'll stop for today. I am hopeful that Sakura's presence here will not affect your training. If all is as you say, I may even enlist your help with my pretty little prisoner." Sasuke did not like the look in Orochimaru's snakelike eyes, and realized that the old bastard might find it an amusing exercise to watch while Sasuke turned his sword on Sakura. The thought made him sick to his stomach, but he let nothing show on his face except the same cold detachment which had made him so valuable to Orochimaru in the first place.

"Hn," he replied, and he shoved his sword in its scabbard as well before dismissing himself from the ruined garden. He stalked back to his quarters with a new anxiety: What if Orochimaru expected Sasuke to interrogate Sakura? Or worse?

Could he go through with it? He'd promised Tsunade and the other rebels that he would keep Sakura alive. He'd also sworn that he would do everything in his power to keep up his charade with Orochimaru, and if that meant hurting Sakura, physically or mentally, he would do so for the sake of his act.

It was why he'd stood down while she was whipped and interrogated the day of Orochimaru's coronation.

But if it came down to it...would he have the resolve to lay his hands on Sakura herself?

Sasuke knew his limits, and while many people thought him a ruthless, remorseless murderer, he knew he could never harm a woman. Let alone Sakura.

He needed to figure out a way to break her out of the palace and deliver her to the rebels, and quickly. She had three days left in the dungeons, and once those three days were up, he could not possibly anticipate Orochimaru's intentions for her.

He opened the door to his room and shut it carefully behind him before sitting on the edge of his bed. A warm summer breeze blew in through the open window and ruffled his hair, but he barely noticed. There were so many variables here, so many different things to consider. He could feasibly engineer her escape...but with Kabuto watching his every move with hawkish persistence? Sasuke's triple agency would be exposed completely, if he were caught helping Sakura. Even if he wasn't caught redhanded, Orochimaru and Kabuto would surely suspect him of the treachery, and he couldn't afford to ruffle feathers so early on.

The breeze pulled through his hair again, and unbidden, a memory sprang to mind, one that he hadn't considered for years, one that he hadn't let himself remember. But in this room, this palace, it was impossible not to lose himself in his childhood.

_"That was such a drag!" a twelve-year-old Sakura moaned. She dropped into a very un-princesslike slouch on the window, one of her legs dangling over the side. Her dress was rumpled and hiked up around her knees, her hair tugged up into a messy ponytail. Sasuke knew if her mother saw her, she'd be in for an enormous lecture on how a princess was meant to appear, but he preferred her this way. Free and relaxed and effortlessly pretty. "God, if I have to sit through one more of Dad's stupid council meetings I'm gonna throw myself off the watchtower!"_

_Sasuke rolled his eyes at her dramatics, but he could definitely sympathize. Young as he was, as sole heir to the Uchiha clan, he'd been to his fair share of Konoha council meetings, and they were easily as boring as Sakura said they were. Not to mention, the ivory throne she was expected to sit in looked extremely uncomfortable. He leaned up against the wall and stared out at the sunny summer day._

_"It's just...I've been taking so many lessons with my aunt lately," Sakura said, fiddling with her ponytail as she always did when she was in thought. "And she thinks that one of the main problems in Konoha is its inadequate hospital."_

_"Hn."_

_"The doctors here are undertrained, and there aren't many who can handle serious injuries or sicknesses. There's not enough money in the budget, or so Dad thinks, to hire more medics and train them the right way. I tried bringing it up at the meeting, but everyone seemed really focused on the new fountain at the square instead."_

_"Then do something about it yourself," Sasuke said flatly. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "If you think it's such a problem, fix it. You're gonna be queen one day."_

_Sakura sighed. "I know. Everyone reminds me of it. But no one ever asked me if that's what I wanted in the first place."_

_Sasuke was surprised. Most girls dreamed one day of becoming princesses, and here was an actual princess, who didn't want the title?_

_"I want to help Konoha. REALLY help. I love these people and I love this country...but how useful can I really be to them, locked up in that throne room day in and day out? I'm learning so much from Auntie, not just about medicine but politics, too. Trade and international relations and all kinds of things. She thinks I should be a doctor, Sasuke-kun. And I think so, too."_

_It wasn't the first time he had been surprised by Sakura, and he doubted it would be the last. A smirk lifted his lips, but it felt closer to a smile as he said, "You can be both, you know."_

_She looked at him with wide eyes. "You think I can do it?" she asked softly, worriedly. "You think I really could?"_

_"If there's any stupid, annoying girl on the planet," he replied coolly, "who could juggle running a hospital and running a country all at once...it'd be you."_

Sasuke's heart skipped a familiar cadence as he recalled long, lazy summer afternoons with Sakura. They were nearly inseparable as children; whenever she went into town for one of her various personal goodwill missions, he would accompany her as protection. When she practiced archery in the training fields, he would work on his sword skills with Naruto or one of the other boys. When it rained and they were stranded inside, they would sit by the wide open windows, smelling the rain and talking about everything and nothing.

They were infinitely precious moments to him. Even if they remained locked away in his heart. Even if everyone else in the world believed that Sakura was nothing more to him than the political prisoner of his sadistic teacher. Even if Sakura herself believed that...

A knock sounded at the door. Irritation flared within him, and though his dark cloak concealed the movement, his hand closed around his sword for reassurance. "Who is it."

The door was thrown open, and an overwhelming cloud of perfume heralded the arrival of the only woman on Earth he would consider giving a good smack to. She was dressed head to toe in the heaviest, most expensive robes that were designed to accentuate her statuesque figure and generous curves. Red hair was curled into tight ringlets. Red eyes were framed with dark ocher and red lips shined like hellfire.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Karin."


	10. Charade

Tenten did not return the sixth or seventh days of Sakura's imprisonment.

She went hungry those days, but prayed to every god imaginable that Tenten had not been caught. It was subversion, treason, what Tenten had been doing for her; risking her life to make sure Sakura survived the week. If Orochimaru caught her in the act, Tenten would be executed.

After already losing dear friends Aburame Shino and Akimichi Chouji, Sakura could not imagine adding Tenten's name to that list. So with every fiber of her being, she prayed that Tenten was merely busy, or delayed, or that she'd gone into hiding with the rest of the rebellion.

Sakura also took the time to plan her next move.

She would not surrender her body or spirit to Orochimaru. Now that Tenten confirmed the existence of the rebellion, Sakura needed to escape the palace and whatever horrific fate Orochimaru had in store for her, and join her aunt and the blossoming revolution as soon as possible. She did not know what Tsunade's plan was, but she knew that, whatever it may be, having a skilled medic on hand would be nothing but helpful. And if she could no longer serve Konoha as its princess, she would protect its people as their medic.

But escaping from Orochimaru's clutches was much, much easier said than done. The bars in the cell were cast-iron and thicker than her arm; they did not budge no matter how hard she pushed on them, hoping that the metal might have corroded over time. No such luck. The dungeons were made entirely of stone so digging her way out was impossible. Not to mention what she would do if she escaped her cell. She couldn't exactly wander upstairs to the palace proper. Not without signing her own death warrant.

She would have to wait until Orochimaru came to collect her, to even think about making a mad dash for freedom.

Steeling her resolve, Sakura pulled the black cloak tighter around her body and repeated the same instructions to herself over and over in her head. _Say nothing of the rebellion. Say nothing of Tsunade. Say nothing of the revolution. Say nothing. Say nothing. Say nothing..._

Then again...

Orochimaru labored under the delusion that Sakura was starving to death, surviving off of the water that had clung to her hair and clothes after her first interrogation. He would, she knew, interrogate her yet again, counting on her weakness, hunger, and thirst to loosen her tongue. To keep silent would only rouse suspicion; Orochimaru would consider it beyond the capabilities of a weak, starving, dehydrated, sick young girl to withhold information from someone who held her life in his hands. Like most men, he was arrogant, and like most men, he held a derogatory outlook on women.

Sakura would use that to her advantage.

A smirk stretched her lips as she heard the telltale footsteps on the staircase. She discarded the black cloak and curled up into the fetal position, preparing to put on the charade of her life. She would tell Orochimaru absolutely everything he wanted to know.

And not a word of it would be the truth.

xoxoxo

Kabuto was smirking as he descended the staircase that led to the gruesome old dungeons. There was a distinct chill in the air, the deeper he trekked into the palace. The only light that pervaded the desolate space was the torch he carried, casting eerie amber shadows along the centuries-old stone walls. There were no windows, and only cramped cages lining the walls on either side of the narrow hallway. The cages were empty, save for the smallest one nestled in the very back, farthest from the door that led upstairs. He heard faint moans and sobs, and noted that the princess was still alive.

This would certainly be entertaining.

No doubt she had used her skills as a medic to keep herself alive. Most likely, she'd salvaged the dirty water she'd been soaked in, and was hydrating herself from that. But surely that had dried up by now. Humans could survive several days without water, which meant that Sakura would be dead of dehydration without immediate medical care.

"Good evening, Sakura-chan," he said, his voice ringing slightly in the empty hallway. He strode over to her cell and unlocked the door, letting it slide all the way open before strolling inside. "My, you've looked better."

She was lying on the floor, still dressed in the ripped white underdress from the week before, curled into herself. She was sobbing quietly but he could spot no tears, which he chalked up immediately to the dehydration. She appeared delirious, and looked up at him as though not able to make out who he was.

"Will you cooperate with us now?" he asked kindly.

"W-Water," she whispered, her voice raspy from lack of moisture. She gripped her throat with one hand, and reached towards him desperately with the other. "Water...pl-please...I need...I need w-water..."

"And you will have some," Kabuto promised with a smile. "Once you tell us everything you know about a rebellion."

"I will!" Sakura vowed wildly, her eyes wide and half-crazed in her urgency. "The r-rebellion is...is..."

"Speak," Kabuto ordered sharply. He reached down and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her roughly and ignoring her moan. "Speak, girl, what of the rebellion?"

"Ts-Tsunade led it," Sakura gasped. "My aunt. Before her...her suicide."

"Suicide?" Kabuto echoed. He stared hard into Sakura's eyes, searching for any hint of a lie. If she was acting, she was a very convincing actress. But she was also starving and dehydrated; that would overrule any impulse she might have to lie to him. She was certainly a feisty young girl, but all these days with no sustenance, no company, no light, no warmth would traumatize her into compliance. "You mean Tsunade is dead? When? How?"

"Hanged her-herself," Sakura choked, her voice weak. "After...after my parents..."

She broke off from grief, unable to even think about the executions three weeks ago. Kabuto ignored this and shook her again.

"What was her plan?"

"Break me o-out," Sakura replied, her eyelids sliding shut and open again, as though she couldn't keep them open. "She has...traitors in...in Oto. They were gonna..."

"What do you mean, traitors in Oto?" Kabuto was shocked, horrified, and infuriated at this news. "Name them!"

"I don't know their names, I don't!" cried Sakura desperately. "She never told me...whatever she had them doing, though, wasn't working. She...she hanged herself a few d-days before the c-coronation ceremony. I h-heard from...from Akimichi Chouji."

"He's dead," Kabuto spat. Damn. The only possible witness he could track down to confirm Tsunade's death was the fat heir to the breadmaking Akimichi Clan, and he'd been killed during the invasion. There was no way to validate Sakura's story. He needed to be absolutely sure of its truth before informing Orochimaru that there were traitors in his midst. "What else, Sakura? What else was she planning?"

His hands moved from her shoulders to her throat, and he lifted her easily off the floor. She struggled in his grasp, fingers scrabbling uselessly at the backs of his hands, nails tearing the skin, but he barely noticed. "What else, Sakura?"

"I-don't-know!" Sakura choked, her feet kicking out weakly as she fought to be released. "She told me...she told me nothing else...nothing, I swear it! Please! Please let me have w-water! _Please!_"

She was too weak; she wouldn't have the energy or the fortitude to lie right in his face. Kabuto was satisfied with this, and let her drop to the floor in a crumpled heap. She coughed, holding her bruised neck and reaching for him again.

"Thank you very much for this discussion, Sakura-chan, you've been most helpful to your king," he said with a smirk, stepping hard on her outstretched hand until she cried out in pain. "Orochimaru-sama will be down to speak with you shortly. Do try not to die for a few more hours, won't you?"

"Please!" Sakura rasped desperately. "Please...water..._I need water!_"

He chuckled as he swept out of her cell and locked it behind him before heading back upstairs. He was so confident in what he had just learned that he didn't see the tiny, triumphant smirk tilt Sakura's lips before he left her in the dark isolation of her tiny cell.

xoxoxo

"What are you doing here, Karin?" Sasuke asked coolly.

To say that he was displeased to see the Lady of Konoha would have been an understatement. He had been uninterested in her oft-voiced affections during his training in Otogakure, and remained so. But no amount of cold rebuff would convince her that Sasuke would never reciprocate her obsessive attraction.

Indeed, she was as tenacious as ever. The iciness in his voice merely made her smile wider as she leaned against the doorframe, red eyes hooded as she murmured, "It's been such a long time, Sasuke-kun."

It had always irked him when she called him so familiarly, but he kept his face apathetic as he stared her down.

"I was beginning to think you might never return to Otogakure, and it seems I was right to fear," Karin continued, a salacious smirk in place, the look in her eyes feral. "My heart was glad when I learned that you were here in this squalid city, and that your allegiances remained with Orochimaru-sama. We had all worried you might be...upset at what had become of your birthland."

"Hn."

"As talkative as you always were," Karin said teasingly. She moved closer to him, pressing her chest flush against his and fluttering her eyelashes up at him. "I know your goals are to restore the Uchiha Clan to its previous eminence...and to do that, you need a woman of eminence, of name and renown. I am that woman, Sasuke-kun, there is no one worthier than I am. I am Lady of Konoha, after all."

Sasuke had to admit, he admired her gumption. To seek out a man who openly despised her and spurned her numerous advances, and within five minutes, propose _marriage?_

But if she thought he was even slightly tempted by her offer, she was sorely mistaken.

He opened his mouth to reject her completely, and then an idea came to him.

Karin, as one of Orochimaru's favorite subjects, would no doubt hold a wealth of knowledge about Orochimaru's plans for Konoha. He could not afford to lose a potentially-valuable source of information, not when she presented herself so openly to him. She trusted him immensely, with this bizarre, unrequited love story she'd concocted in her head between them. It would be practically _effortless_ to compel her to reveal what she knew about the Oto king's next move.

He thought quickly.

He physically could not stomach going so far as to actually consummate a relationship with Karin. She represented everything he hated: the selfish opulence of the higher class, the self-serving Oto opportunists that thrived on the suffering of others. But maybe he would not need to.

"Prove it, then," Sasuke said coldly. With that he pushed her back out of his room and slammed the door in her face.

It was all he could do not to smirk at his own resourcefulness. Karin would be outraged at his rejection, but she would do anything and everything she could to change his mind. He'd challenged her to prove that she was worthy of the Uchiha name.

She was about to become _very_ helpful to the rebellion.

xoxoxo

**note..** Hello, everybody :) Thank you for sticking this far with me, and I hope you stick around till the end of this story. Please leave a review and tell me what you think. Have a good night!


	11. Rallying Point

**note..** I don't typically do dedications. But this is going to my most adored reviewer Muahahahahaha. Because I DO wish I had her penname.

Thanks so much for reading, you guys. Enjoy the chapter! (I hope :))

xoxoxo

Sakura couldn't help the smirk that crossed her face the second Kabuto crossed the threshold towards the upper levels.

Her little charade, given that Kabuto trusted in it as much as he appeared to, served to accomplish several things:

1) Orochimaru would now think Tsunade, his most dangerous adversary, dead.

2) Orochimaru would now think the rebellion that Tsunade was inciting, which was decidedly _alive_ and growing in support if Tenten was to be believed, was dead.

and 3) That there were traitors in his Oto ranks.

Sakura, despite the current ambiguity of her title in Konoha, was well-versed in the politics of their government. Tsunade had seen to that. Not only did she teach her niece the ins and outs of medicine, but Tsunade was a political powerhouse and was determined that Sakura would be as well. It wouldn't do to learn only the court basics that her parents tried to teach her, proper palace etiquette and the right way to communicate with dignitaries. It was about surrounding yourself with capable, powerful allies, and learning the weaknesses of your enemies.

Orochimaru's weakness was his own paranoia.

It was the same with every tyrant; he had stolen a kingdom, and while it seemed like his reign was immutable, and that Konoha stood no chance at reclaiming her independence, the naked truth of the matter was Orochimaru was now required to be on his guard 24/7. Those who stole spent their whole lives fighting to keep what was never rightfully theirs. And Konoha did not belong to him, or even to the Haruno for that matter. Konoha belonged to itself, and always would.

Sakura's goal was to feed into that paranoia, to turn Orochimaru, Kabuto, and the other invaders against one another trying to smoke out who the possible snakes were. She'd introduced a healthy, terrifying suspicion that those they trusted sought to undo them. It didn't matter that there _were_ no traitors in Orochimaru's employ, at least not to her knowledge anyway.

An image of Sasuke's dark, mistrustful gaze sprang unbidden to mind. _Traitor,_ she thought icily.

It was too much to hope that he might turn against Orochimaru, and aid Konoha in some way. To hold onto that hope, the foolish ideal that Sasuke was some tragic antihero who was fighting for the common good, was the height of naivete. And Sakura was many things, but she was _not_ naive.

Any feelings she had in the past for Sasuke were forced back. He was a traitor. And as such, when the time came, he would burn with Orochimaru. _You chose this, Sasuke,_ she thought venomously. _You chose this and now it's yours!_

She resolved to never think of Sasuke again. She resolved to leave the sulky-faced boy she'd loved so much in the past, in her memories, where he could live forever untainted and unmarked by the darkness he had so readily embraced. She resolved to look straight through him, and when the time came, she would flee the palace and leave him to his well-deserved fate surrounded by Orochimaru, Kabuto, Karin and the other invaders.

All of this, she vowed, but to her numb shock, vicious suspicion, and boiling anger, the door was thrown open at the end of the hall, and when she looked up...

She clearly made out his tall, dark, imposing silhouette, framed against the light from the upper level.

Sasuke.

xoxoxo

Orochimaru summoned him early that evening, for what purpose, Sasuke could not begin to guess.

The king sat at the royal table, enjoying a sumptuous feast made of Konoha's specialty, seafood. He gestured for Sasuke to sit down; Sasuke declined. He did not take his meals with anyone.

This was nothing new to Orochimaru, who merely swallowed a piece of yellowtail, washed it down with a swig of wine, and said flatly, "I have an assignment for you, Sasuke-kun."

A mission? Sasuke did not let his eagerness read on his face. Orochimaru assigning him a mission meant that he could possibly learn something about the Oto king's next move. He needed to report _something_ to Tsunade, and he'd been getting restless sitting around waiting for something to come up. Whatever Orochimaru wanted him to do would be an enormous clue into the usurper's grand scheme.

"Hn," Sasuke replied to show that he was listening. He kept his arms folded across his chest in the universal expression of carelessness. If it fazed or aggravated his old master, he didn't know.

"Kabuto-kun visited the..._entertainment_ this afternoon," Orochimaru continued.

Sasuke knew this to refer to Sakura, and to hear her spoken of so disrespectfully grated on his nerves. Again, however, he kept his face completely clear and merely waited for Orochimaru to finish what he was saying. What about Sakura? Was she all right? He'd told Tsunade to get her to help Sakura somehow...had she been unable to?

"She's alive," Orochimaru went on. Sasuke did not let a flicker of relief pass through his eyes. "Clever little witch. She kept herself alive, it seems, by salvaging the moisture from her hair and clothes. However, she looks a touch on the thin side, but her sentence seemed to loosen her tongue somewhat. She opened up quite a bit about a rebellion. Tsunade-chan, it seems, sought to displace me."

Sasuke could not believe what he was hearing.

His mind was split in a thousand different directions. Sakura was alive, but she hadn't eaten in a week. She had also divulged details about the rebellion. Sasuke thought she was unaware it was even occurring! What had she told Kabuto, in her weakness and dehydration? What had she let slip about Tsunade and the others? Had Sakura completely obliterated any hope the rebellion had of succeeding?

"What did she say," he muttered. He didn't have a choice, he'd have to play Orochimaru's game now and figure out just what was going on. How did Sakura even _know_ about the rebellion in the first place?

"It seems it's no longer a concern," Orochimaru said complacently. He dabbed his thin lips with a handkerchief before leaning back langurously in the chair at the head of the table. Sasuke mused privately that, relaxed and unarmed, it would be the work of a moment to open this bastard's throat and leave him to choke on his own blood, but now was not the time for that. "Apparently, Tsunade-chan, in the grief of losing her family and the prospect of losing her beloved niece, recognized defeat and hanged herself a week before my coronation. So passeth a worthy opponent." Orochimaru raised a glass mockingly to Tsunade's memory and drank. "That explains much, does it not? Why we received no commotion from her the day her beloved niece was deposed. She was dangling from a rope the day we took little Sakura-chan's crown."

Sasuke's mind latched onto the reality of what was happening. Sakura had _lied._ She had looked Kabuto directly in the eyes and lied right to him. And she had done it so convincingly that he'd gone to Orochimaru and convinced him as well. Sakura had not only kept herself alive in the unlivable conditions beneath the palace floors. She had also protected her aunt and the entire rebellion.

"What little insurrection that Tsunade-chan _was_ scheming is liquidated," Orochimaru continued. "But now we have a greater problem...Sakura-chan was kind enough to inform me that there are _traitors_ in my midst."

"Traitors?"

"Apparently Tsunade-chan has corrupted several of my trusted Oto subjects to her side, and prior to her untimely suicide, was trafficking information from within the palace walls to rebel ears."

"So where do I come in." Sasuke's heart raced. Did Orochimaru suspect his prized apprentice of deception? Or did he trust him? How did Sakura know about the insertion of Konoha spies into the ranks? Or had she just been spinning some wild, unbelievable tale to throw everyone off the trail?

"You have a gift, Sasuke-kun. A gift for the hunt, and right now, your targets are any of my subjects you suspect of harboring ill will towards me." Orochimaru was smirking. "I want them brought to me alive."

"Done," Sasuke said coolly. He needed to speak to Tsunade at once, and Sakura for that matter. Just what in the seven hells was she up to? He could not begin to guess, and before he progressed any further in his dangerous mission, he needed to know what Sakura knew.

He moved to leave the dining hall, but Orochimaru stopped him. "And one more favor, Sasuke-kun, if it's not too much trouble," he added. "Please go down below and fetch our pretty little prisoner. I've been meaning to have a chat with her this week, but she's been...indisposed. I believe I have figured out exactly the message I wish to send to Konoha, should any other pathetic, ill-fated insurrections occur in the wake of Tsunade-chan's failure."

Sasuke nodded curtly. Inside his heart was pounding, his head was throbbing to take in all of this information. What was his next move?

He could not reveal his double agent status to Sakura just yet, it was far too early. She seemed to have her own agenda, but it did not conflict with his; if anything, he benefited from it. Because of Sakura's deception, Orochimaru believed that Tsunade's revolution was dead, along with its leader. Thanks to Sakura, Orochimaru was now suspicious of his own subjects, and it seemed that his trust in Sasuke remained as stalwart as it ever was.

For now, he could not risk compromising his true intentions by revealing himself to Sakura, as much as he might want to. He would wait for the signal from Tsunade to release her from the palace. He would make sure that she was delivered safely to the other rebel leaders, and only when she was out of danger would he tell her whose side he was _really_ on.

Until then, he resolved as he headed down the spiral staircase, he would endure her ice.

xoxoxo

Sakura saw him in the doorway. Her eyes narrowed in hate and she curled back into herself, holding her starving stomach and releasing weak, false little whimpers of pain. Sasuke's steps towards her were measured, unhurried. He stopped in front of her cell, and Sakura kept her eyes screwed shut as if in unbearable hunger; she listened closely, however, as he exhaled through his nose, like the very sight of her weakness annoyed him, before the key turned in the lock and the door swung wide.

She could do it now, she realized.

It would be a matter of overpowering him when his guard was down, and she had confidence that she could, even if he was regarded as one of the most dangerous men alive right now. She could take advantage of the fact that he would underestimate her current strength, and blindside him.

But she had no idea what lay in wait for her above. She could muscle past Sasuke, only to run into ten Oto guards with spears and no compunctions about using them on unarmed women. And Sakura would be absolutely no use to the rebel cause _dead._

Still, this was a stressful enough experience for her, without the additional emotional baggage of Uchiha Sasuke weighing on her shoulders. He moved closer to where she lay, and knelt down in front of her.

"Drink this," he ordered.

His voice was deep and rich, alluring, but all she could focus on was her hatred of him. She would love nothing more than to take the flask of water he held out to her and pour it all over his head, but she had a ruse to maintain. And a girl who'd drunken nothing for a week but what few droplets she'd been able to save from her hair would do anything for a drink. Even run the risk of touching her fingers to a traitor's.

She drank deeply, heavily, but never took her eyes off of him. You could never let your guard down around a snake, even one as artfully handsome as Uchiha Sasuke. It was hard to make out his face with only the light coming from the upper levels spilling through the door, but her eyes swept across high cheekbones, a strong jaw, dark hair in dark eyes.

He was so different from the child he'd once been. The child she'd loved.

Sasuke-kun was dead, she realized, truly, truly realized, as she took in his apathy, his iciness. This was a new person entirely, one who lacked the subtle warmth and concern of the boy who'd claimed her heart in their childhood. This was the man who had killed off Sasuke-kun, and in doing so, had made a lifelong enemy of Sakura. She narrowed her eyes, and threw the empty flask into the hallway with more force than a starving, dehydrated woman would be expected to possess.

If Sasuke noticed this, he said nothing, just raised one slim eyebrow before grabbing her elbow and yanking her to her feet.

"Let's go," he said, dragging her towards the door.

"Didn't realize Orochimaru demoted you to the chore of feeding his _pets,_" Sakura hissed cattily, and did she _imagine_ the ghost of a smirk that lifted the corner of Sasuke's lips, before it was replaced with a sneer?

"See how smart your mouth is when he's through with you," he murmured darkly, pulling her up the steps and shoving her bodily through the doorway that led to the upper halls.

The light was blinding after a solid week in pitch darkness. Sakura screwed her eyes shut against the brightness, and, to her shame, even whimpered. Sasuke had no patience for that, and merely shouldered her along; she stumbled forward blindly, her knees barely able to take her weight after so many hours cramped up in that tiny cell. He grabbed her elbow, his grip bruising, and dragged her towards the dining hall, where Orochimaru was finishing up his meal.

"Ah, Sakura-chan!" Orochimaru said jovially, when her eyes finally adjusted to the light. She made out his sallow skin, his oily smirk, the snakelike eyes that seemed to feast on her as much as the half-eaten food splayed before him. "So nice to see you out and about! You look a bit thin, child."

Sakura settled for giving him a vicious glare, before glancing desperately at the food. She'd only gone hungry for two days, but she needed Orochimaru to believe it had been much longer than that.

"I must say, I am appropriately grateful for your assistance this evening," Orochimaru went on, ignoring her blatant insubordination. "Though you might have been more comfortable all this time had you submitted to my good offices tamely, I am nonetheless extremely grateful that you saw sense, and divulged what you knew to Kabuto-kun. The information was very helpful. Let me be the first to offer condolences on the passing of your aunt."

"You killed her," Sakura hissed, her voice raspy and weak. "You as good as killed her, she committed _suicide_ because of you! My parents, dead by you! My people, dead by you! And me? What of me, Orochimaru-_sama?_" She placed a nasty emphasis on the honorific. "What shall you do with me? When can I join my family? Why do you keep me alive when everyone I hold dear is dead?"

Sakura knew she was pushing her luck here. She was provoking a sadist, and could not afford to lose her life so early in this power game they found themselves playing. But it seemed that Orochimaru was entertained by her, more than he was intimidated. And though it infuriated her, it also kept her alive at this point. She would take what she could, she vowed, while a smirk crossed Orochimaru's face.

"I have special plans for you, Sakura-chan," he promised her, his voice slick and oily and stirringly terrifying. Sakura would not let herself cower before him, but her first impulse was to do exactly that. Remembering that she was supposed to be starving, she spared another obvious glance towards the food on the table before returning her heated gaze to Orochimaru. "Very special plans indeed, if you can focus on my words rather than my leftovers. Patience is a virtue, Sakura-chan!"

"I'll be dead before I take etiquette lessons from _you,"_ she hissed venomously.

He chuckled like she'd made a passably humorous joke. Sasuke's grip on her arm was numbing, but it oddly anchored her to reality. As good as it felt, she could not afford to push Orochimaru too far, not until he was lying helpless on the floor and she had a sword to his throat. She quieted herself and waited for his response.

"Leave us, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru dismissed suddenly. "I wish to have a..._private_ conversation with our pretty prisoner."

Sasuke released Sakura, and the blood rushed back to her arm in hot scorching waves. He swept out of the room, followed by the other Oto guards, who were dismissed with a wave of Orochimaru's hand.

Sakura was now alone with him, truly alone with him, for the first time.

Her heart thrummed in fear, but she was too proud to let any of it show on her face. She swayed slightly on her feet, still weak from her imprisonment, but she kept her shoulders square. Konoha blood ran fierce within her, and even if he held her life in his hands, he would never own her spirit.

He regarded her for a few long moments before rising slowly out of his chair. His movements were precise, controlled, his eyes never leaving her. Sakura was reminded of a rabbit caught in the predatory sights of a fox, but forced that metaphor away. The situation was terrifying enough, she didn't need to compound her fears anymore than necessary.

"I know much about you, Sakura-chan," Orochimaru spoke finally. He began circling her slowly, taking her in from every angle. Sakura refused to let him see how uncomfortable she was. Her fists clenched hard at her sides in resilience. "Very much, in fact. You are young. Too young and inexperienced to be able to make sense of what is happening in your world, so I will simplify it for you.

"You are being kept alive for two very specific reasons. The first, and most obvious reason, is my amusement. You are a most _entertaining_ prisoner, my dear girl. You have the...what is it you Konoha people call it? Ah, the Will of Fire. It burns brightly within you. You are courageous, more so than your parents. If you will forgive my disrespect, they died quite dishonorably...begging for their lives in the end."

Sakura's blood boiled, her vision went white with rage, and she became aware that she was shaking. All the while, she remained silent, and Orochimaru stopped behind her, facing her back. He leaned in and whispered, directly in her ear, "But not you, Sakura-chan."

She felt sick. She wanted nothing more than to run, get away from his poisonous voice, his toxic words, but she was trapped. His hands, cold and clammy, rough from handling weapons and almost reptilian, gripped her bare shoulders, holding her in place as he continued, "You are strong. A worthy adversary. Tsunade-chan's niece through and through. You are _amusing_ to keep around, little one, because of your refusal to break.

"Which brings me to...reason number two." Sakura was nauseated to feel Orochimaru's long, serpentine tongue lick along the side of her face, from her jaw towards her ear. She shuddered and tried to twist out of his grasp, but his fingers were bruising on her shoulders and he held her completely still. "Tsunade-chan surrendered. But there are others, Sakura-chan, others who would stand to oppose me...who would seek to take this throne that I have claimed and place another in my stead. And they would use you, their strong, unbreakable princess, as their rallying point. Even here, even with all of your friends and freedoms taken from you, your titles stripped from you, even here with nothing to call your own, you are their princess. They look to you for inspiration and strength, and I must break you before that happens. Understand, little one?"

"You will not break me," Sakura vowed, trembling. "Never. I will never -"

"Everyone has a breaking point, lovely. I will find yours. Perhaps as I already have. But I will not kill you. I will keep you alive, broken in every way with your spirit crushed so completely, that those who see you will know my wrath as if they felt it themselves. You can be _my_ rallying point instead, Sakura-chan."

"I'd sooner die," she hissed.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that," Orochimaru sighed with a smile. "Now then..."

He clapped his hands. At once the doors opened and the guards returned to the room, resuming their posts. Sasuke was nowhere to be found; Sakura assumed he'd wandered off somewhere else and she couldn't bring herself to care. Kabuto came in instead, looking supremely self-satisfied as he pushed his glasses up his nose and took in her appearance.

"Come with me, _Your Highness._" The title was mocking, and Sakura hated him all over again. "A medical examination is in order. We've got _plans_ for you."

He dragged her off to the medical wing, and although her face was full of fear, Sakura's heart burned with fire. _And I've got plans for all of YOU,_ she thought savagely. _Like hell will you break me. Like hell will you break Konoha!_

xoxoxo


	12. Common

Sakura felt loads better after a decent meal and a bath, but to say she wasn't suspicious about Kabuto's motives was an understatement. After the scene she'd made with Orochimaru, she had been expecting to be thrown back in her cell and left to die, now that he had his information (however false).

What she had _not_ been expecting was to be assigned a small, plain, but comfortable room beside Kabuto's.

They were planning something, she realized, something that would require her to be in relative health. Kabuto had been frustratingly vague during his medical examination (a procedure she vowed to kill him for; as a medic, she knew that dehydration was not treated via molestation), but the fact that she was alive, fed, clean, and left alone for the moment raised a number of red flags.

There were guards posted outside her door, and beneath the small window as well, the same as when she had been kept under house arrest prior to her deposition. Her bedroom, she knew, had been commandeered by Lady Karin, but this little one, even if it lacked the comfort and familiarity of her former room, was more than enough for a prisoner.

So what was their plan?

Sakura knew better than to relax in the face of her relative freedom. The fact that they were keeping her alive was ominous enough; the fact that she was required to keep herself healthy had diabolical undertones, and escape was crucial now more than ever.

She didn't know where Tsunade and the rebels were located. Her only clue to the entire thing was Tenten, whom she hadn't seen in days.

Sakura hoped her friend was all right. If she'd been discovered helping one of Orochimaru's prisoners...

She shook the thought away. Dwelling on the worst case scenarios wouldn't get her out of this mess, and she had to leave before Orochimaru's cruel intentions for her were revealed.

With that in mind, she sat on the little bed in the corner and began to plan.

xoxoxo

Sasuke planned to send word to Tsunade about the recent developments at the palace, but came up short. How could he put into a few coded words what Sakura had done for the rebellion without completely giving her (and himself) away?

He decided against it in the end. At the festival, he would see everyone in person and reveal to them what he knew. In the meantime, he needed to figure out what Orochimaru planned for Sakura. That he hadn't killed her yet was not reassuring. It meant that he had something far more sinister in mind for her.

He'd been charged with the mission of finding the various traitors in Orochimaru's employ, and as he stalked back to his room, he relished the opportunity. He would pick Orochimaru's most powerful, most notorious subjects and point them out as traitors. Perhaps, thanks to Sakura's quick thinking, they could crush the invasion from within.

_She knew of Orochimaru's paranoia,_ he thought, slightly proud of her, though he'd never actually admit it. _And used it against him._

Perhaps he had underestimated Sakura's usefulness as an ally. He'd thought her only a figurehead, the symbol of the rebellion; he hadn't factored in her uncommon intelligence and fierce loyalty to Konoha. Even under the duress of losing her family and her freedom, even under torture and confinement that would have broken men twice her years and three times her size, she not only kept herself alive, but completely fooled her enemy into embarking on a wild goose chase.

She would make one hell of a queen, he knew.

He returned to his room and was unsurprised to see Karin lounging on his bed. The sight made his stomach turn, but he remembered her fountain of knowledge into Orochimaru's schemes, and decided not to stain his sheets with her blood.

"What the hell are you doing here," he growled.

She smirked at him. "Proving my value to the Uchiha Clan," she replied fearlessly. Again, he admired her courage, but reviled her stupidity. "Tell me, Sasuke-kun, who would be more suited to you than I am? Who would make a more beautiful, more powerful addition to your Clan than I would?"

A fleeting image of Sakura's smiling face was banished to the furthest recesses of his mind. Sasuke's lip curled.

"Beauty will not sway me, and as for power, you have none. You sleep in a stolen room, dress yourself in stolen clothes, and wear a stolen title like a crown."

Karin's eyes flashed fire and panic. She sprang to her feet at his acidic words and countered, "Orochimaru-sama is the king of this country, and he named me Lady of Konoha! You claim I have stolen that which is not rightfully mind, when it was entitled to me by our lord and master!"

"While the princess still lives, she holds ownership over that which you have commandeered," Sasuke provoked, seeing that she was close to spilling something important in her anger. "What will become of you, should she reclaim her heritage?"

"That will never happen!" Karin shouted, her hands clenched into fists. "Don't you _know_ what Orochimaru-sama intends for her?"

"Hn," he replied, his heart racing. _Tell me, you delusional fanatic,_ he thought.

"Of course he'll have told you, you've always been his favorite, his most trusted pupil." She changed tactics completely and was applying the same simpering, pandering, cloying adoration that he'd so completely detested his whole life. "He will turn her into a palace whore, Sasuke-kun, that is what becomes of those who defy Orochimaru-sama! He rewards those most loyal to him," she gestured to herself, "with riches and titles and nobility, and he punishes the weak and disloyal with sentences befitting of their crimes. Sakura will never be able to reclaim her heritage, as you say. She will be bought and sold and bought and resold by members of Orochimaru-sama's court, used like the common trash she is!"

So that was it, then. Sasuke's stomach turned to stone at the idea, but part of him had already known Sakura's fate. Like many conquered women, Orochimaru planned to force her into prostitution, profit off of her forced sexual liasions with men willing to pay for her body. She was beautiful enough to be desired by many of the unsavory men serving Orochimaru. It was a cruel, ruthless punishment, designed both to degrade the former princess by dragging her down to the level of a common whore, and break the spirit of a notoriously loyal competitor.

His heart sank. He could not allow that to happen. He would need to engineer her escape quickly.

"They're having the auction in three days' time," Karin said smugly. "Is a convicted prostitute the woman you would choose as the matriarch of your noble Clan? Certainly not. Not when you can have her superior successor! Orochimaru-sama will name you his heir, and together we will rule this kingdom as King and Queen!"

"Get out of my room," he said coolly. "You've proven nothing to me that would suggest I should choose you for my matriarch."

Karin did not look the slightest bit deterred. She sauntered confidently to the door and paused in the threshold on her way out. "I soon shall," she vowed. Then, in a sweep of fine silks and satins and a stifling cloud of perfume, she was gone.

Sasuke seized a scroll and began penning an urgent message to Tsunade.

"Granny,

Bad news here. They're keeping the cherry blossom tree healthy only so they can sell it to mean men! I want to move it but people would see me and I'd get in big trouble since the mean men want to sell it for a lot of money! What do you think I should do?

-Chiha-kun"

xoxoxo

**note..** Thanks, everyone, for the continued support! I'm changing the rating of this story from T to M, for violence and sexuality. The story I had originally conceived of was nowhere near as dark as this one is turning out to be, and I don't want to offend anyone with a rating that does not accurately reflect the tone of the story. Thank you to everyone who alerts, favorites, and reviews because it really keeps me inspired! Have a nice day, see you soon! xoxo Daisyyyy


	13. Intentions

"Evening, sweetheart."

Sakura's eyes narrowed at Suigetsu, who held a tray of food in his hands for her. He was grinning ear to ear, and Sakura mused that Orochimaru and his subjects would be seriously put out when she escaped; apparently, as far as entertainment went, she was a hot commodity.

_See how you'll smirk when I hang every last one of you invaders,_ she thought venomously. She made no move to accept the food tray or even acknowledge his existence. After one glare dripping with animosity, she turned her attention back outside. From her perch on the window sill, she had an excellent view of the streets of Konoha, and to her dread, she saw that they were empty.

Suigetsu set the food down on her bed and approached her familiarly, like they were old friends. "Admiring the view?" he asked jocularly. "Bet it's nice after being down in the dungeons all that time."

"Leave," Sakura commanded. She was pleased to hear that her voice lost none of its authority. To her friends and loyal subjects of Konoha, she was as sweet and friendly as she looked. To her enemies, she retained a queenly air that commanded attention and respect.

"Now hold it there, sweetheart. That's not a very nice way to treat someone, you know?"

"Well forgive me for not being a gracious hostess," she spat.

"Kitty likes to scratch," he observed in obvious amusement. "But you might wanna trim those claws, cutie pie. Might increase your value."

He spoke as if appraising a piece of jewelry. Sakura turned to him once more, one eyebrow raised in suspicion. "Explain."

Suigetsu smirked. The gesture was repulsive, and he had the audacity to reach out and drag one cold finger down her jawline.

"Don't tell me they haven't told you yet," he said, amused. "But it makes sense. I doubt you'd have all this attitude if you knew what Orochimaru-sama's got in mind for you. Not the most original of ideas, but I'm sure you've read about what happens to the high-profile chick spoils of war, like yourself."

Sakura grabbed his wrist with enough pressure to bruise. Her eyes sparkled with defiance.

"So that's his plan for me, then," she interrogated. "Auction me off to one of his lackeys, like an animal?"

"Not just one, _sweetheart,_" Suigetsu snapped. He wrenched his wrist free from her vice grip and grabbed her by the collar of her dress. "He's gonna rotate you out like a carriage wheel. I put my name in the bidding pool myself. Hopefully I get you first, but you're pretty enough to wait for."

Sakura was sickened by the way he was speaking to her, but in a way, she was relieved to know Orochimaru's plan. Even if it was horrible, part of her was satisfied to know something about what was going on around her.

There was no way, no way in _hell,_ she would allow herself to be used the way Orochimaru projected. But now that she knew his next plan for her, she could think up a way to counter it.

She already had an idea. One that was incredibly dangerous and had a 10% chance of success, but frankly, anything was better than staying here, waiting to be prettied up and sold to the highest Oto bidder. She would need to be patient, careful, and above all, _cunning._

"Scary shit, huh, princess?" Suigetsu chuckled, giving her a little shake. "Bet you wish you'd been nicer to me. Maybe I'd do you a favor, and do you before the others have a chance to."

Sakura opened her mouth to retort, but was interrupted by a deep, apathetic voice from the doorway.

"Let her go, Suigetsu," murmured Sasuke.

For a moment, she was exhilarated. Sasuke, coming to her defense? Her eyes widened as she stared at him, his tall, handsome frame standing confidently in the threshold, black eyes sweeping over the scene. Sakura was reminded, against her will, of nights spent wandering the streets of Konoha, her best friend at her side.

_"It's stupid to go out at night like you do," Sasuke chastised her dully. "You're a princess. You make it easy for any kidnapper to-"_

_"Sasuke-kun, enough," Sakura interrupted. She held a first aid kit as the pair made their way to a little house two miles from the palace. "That's why you come with me. To protect me. And nag me. All the time. Nonstop. Every minute."_

_"Annoying," he scoffed._

_"Careful, Sasuke-kun," she said teasingly, a smile in her eyes. "I'm a princess, remember? Keep calling me names, see if I don't lock you up the second I become queen!"_

The memory was as painful as it was happy. The idea that Sasuke was coming here to save her, to help her, to look out for her like he'd always done, seemed far too good to be true.

"Let her go, Suigetsu," Sasuke repeated. "If you rough her up too much, her value to the bidders might decline."

It _was_ too good to be true.

Her heart sank at his words, and she didn't even feel Suigetsu release her. Instead, there was a roaring in her ears, a familiar crushing horror at the thought that the boy she had once loved was now one of her greatest enemies. There was nothing in his eyes, no warmth, no light, nothing.

Not for the first time, Sakura was reminded that the Sasuke she once knew was dead.

"Sasuke!" exclaimed Suigetsu. "I heard you were back. Where the hell have you been?"

"Traveling," Sasuke returned noncommittally. He kept his gaze locked on Sakura, who met it with ferocity.

"You on babysitting duty now?" Suigetsu asked with a laugh. "Good luck with this one. Pretty as all hell, but I think she's got _fangs._"

With that, he clapped his old comrade on the back and blew a kiss to a frozen Sakura. "See you around, sweetheart! Here's hoping I got the winning bid!" With that, he swept out of the room and shut the door behind him, leaving Sakura trapped alone in a room with Sasuke.

Perfect.

xoxoxo

Seeing Suigetsu manhandle Sakura made his blood boil. Sasuke knew that after all that had happened and all he had seen in the palace over the last few days, watching someone grab Sakura by the collar was relatively tame.

But old habits died hard, and Sasuke's first instinct was to intervene. Remembering his charade at the last minute, he schooled his features into a mask of apathy and ordered Suigetsu to release her.

Sakura looked around at him. She appeared to be in much better health; clean and refreshed, in a simple dress with her hair pulled back, as lovely as always. The way she looked at him was with a mixture of disbelief and hope. His stomach sank; she thought he was coming to rescue her. And while that was true, he couldn't let her know.

He barely heard the conversation with Suigetsu, registering only that Suigetsu had placed a bid for Sakura as well, before his old comrade left them alone together.

Sakura was on her feet in a second. Her eyes narrowed in hate, her lips curled into a sneer.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she hissed.

Sasuke, despite the fact that her vitriole was directed towards him, was glad that she still had venom within her. The horrific events of the last few weeks, coupled with the threat of what was to befall her in three days time, should have broken her, but she remained as strong and unbendable as ever. He regarded her coolly and replied, "Babysitting duty."

Her green eyes _flamed,_ and she spat, "I have a better idea. Leave me. It shouldn't be a problem, you've become quite good at it."

Her words stung, but he deserved them. Keeping his face an emotionless mask, he approached her and watched as she backed away, eyeing him with the wariness of a cornered rabbit.

"Still going on about that?" he sneered.

"Like I'd waste one more _moment_ on _you._"

"Sarcasm isn't attractive. Make sure you keep that smart mouth of yours shut at the auction on Tuesday." Sasuke's words were chosen carefully. Even though they were cruel, he was trying to tell her what was going on, and when. It sounded, from her conversation with Suigetsu, that she already knew what Orochimaru had in mind for her. Sasuke needed to subtly clue her in as to when, and how the process would occur.

"You _bastard,_" she hissed. "You couldn't _wait_ to come back here and see what your old master's done. You were gone for years until he takes over...kills my parents, kills our _people,_ and the second we're overthrown, you come back just to throw it back in our faces. May you burn in _hell,_ you _traitor._"

"Big words for a prisoner," Sasuke whispered.

"Get out."

He couldn't leave her just yet; she needed to have all the information. The better informed she was, the better she could prepare herself. He had to keep her talking, keep her angry. "And what if I decide to try my luck at the auction?" he asked softly. Her eyes went wide.

"It's not exactly what our parents had in mind, is it?" He smirked cruelly down at her and took another step her way. "When they talked of having us married?"

"I would rather _burn_ than marry you!" Sakura hissed. "I was engaged to a boy who died _years_ ago! Yet you come here with his face and voice and seek ways to further destroy me, but you can't! I will kill you _myself_ Sasuke!"

"You're as stubborn as ever," he countered coldly. "That must be what attracts Orochimaru so." _Pay attention, Sakura,_ he thought desperately. _Listen to what I'm telling you._ "There's talk that he'll place a bid on you as well. You must really entertain him."

The anger on her face was replaced with disgust.

"I will not be _treated_ as some _prize_ at a cattle auction!" Sakura snapped. "You can tell all of your Oto lackeys that whoever 'wins me' can expect a dagger right between their-"

"Language, _Your Highness._"

"You mock me," she whispered. "I trusted you. You were my _friend._ But you left me. You betrayed me. And now you return to mock me. There is a special place in hell reserved for traitors, _Sasuke-kun._" She spat his name like a curse. "And I will be sure to send you there myself."

She had lost none of her fire, none of her spirit, none of what made her Haruno Sakura. He almost smiled, but remembered that, in her mind anyway, they were enemies now.

"I'll leave you for now, Sakura," he murmured, and noticed that she flinched when he said her name. "But keep in mind that there is more than one traitor in Orochimaru's employ."

Her eyebrows raised in suspicion, but without another word, he left her alone in her room. The door locked behind him, and he made his way outside. He needed to clear his head and allow Sakura to clear hers.

Sasuke was reminded why he'd left Konoha in the first place. In his quest to become a better swordsman and avenge his fallen family, he'd allowed himself to become attached to people. Distracted. Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru, Ino and the others, and none more than the princess herself. He left for Oto, broke the bonds that anchored him to Konoha, that anchored him to _himself,_ and found, upon returning, that the bonds had been bent. Not broken.

Sakura was distracting. Perhaps more so now than she'd ever been, with her effortless beauty and her bone-deep confidence, her cunning and strength; even though she hated him, he still saw the little girl he'd spent so much of his youth protecting, hiding behind steely green eyes.

He could not afford distractions right now. This mission was too dangerous, and required him to be constantly on his guard, constantly in character. He'd long since relinquished any claim he might have had on Sakura, and even if his feelings for her was as strong as they had always been, _they didn't matter._ He did not deserve her, and he never would. His only duty now was to rescue her and reinstate her as queen, not to make any heartfelt personal confessions.

If he had his way, she would never know of his love for her. He would see to it that she was made queen, that her enemies were destroyed, and he would withdraw from her life once more, never to hurt her again.

His sharp ears caught the distant screech of a hawk. A great tawny one with enormous wings flew nearer and nearer to the palace grounds, before descending towards Sasuke with a scroll attached to its leg. Sasuke held out its arm and the hawk gripped onto it tightly, while he removed the message and sent it away again. He unfurled it quickly and read,

"Dear Chiha-kun,

All is well here! Our cousin from the East is visiting and he is very helpful with the housekeeping. As for your problem with the cherry blossom tree, the solution is simple...buy it yourself! Then you can decide how best to dig it up and replant it somewhere safe!

Love,

Granny"

Sasuke tore up the message, his brow furrowed in thought. The cousin from the East had to mean Gaara, of Suna kingdom; it sounded like Tsunade's recruitment mission had been a success, and Konoha now had an extremely powerful ally in Suna. That was good news.

As for Tsunade's solution to the problem with Sakura, he'd already arrived at that thought, but it was too risky. He could take money from his considerable inheritance to bid for Sakura at the auction, but he feared it would arouse Orochimaru's suspicion. There was already a (true) rumor circulating that he and Sakura had once been part of a marriage contract, to be put into effect on her 17th birthday. Sasuke had quashed that rumor for the time being, but what would it say to Orochimaru if he came out with his desire to bed the rebel prisoner?

But it could very well be the only way to save Sakura from the remorseless, ruthless Oto courtsmen who would be in the betting pool as well. He would have to convince Orochimaru that he was not doing it to _help_ Sakura, but to _hurt_ her. Orochimaru would really believe that Sasuke was an Oto loyalist if he would defile and traumatize the girl who'd once been promised to him.

It was a dangerous game to play, but Sasuke would rather blow his cover than allow Sakura to be used so despicably.

xoxoxo

Kabuto removed his glasses, polishing them off on his shirt before replacing them. His predatory gaze locked on Sasuke's back, the hawk on his arm, the message on its leg. His eyebrows raised.

_Well, well, well,_ he thought, watching the hawk take flight, and Sasuke destroy the message he'd just received. _Who on Earth could our dear Sasuke-kun be writing to?_

xoxoxo

**note..** Thanks again everyone for the reviews and favorites and alerts and the simple fact that someone is reading something that I'm writing. I appreciate it all so much, and I hope you're enjoying this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it. See you soon!


	14. The Auction

Tsunade was worried.

Sasuke's last coded message confirmed her fears: Sakura was to be sold to the highest bidder at a prostitution auction. It was a common fate for captured high-profile women, designed to humiliate and traumatize in equal measure. The thought of her sweet, sixteen-year-old niece enduring such a hideous fate made her stomach turn.

But Tsunade knew, as one of the leaders of the revolution, that she needed to look at Sakura as the princess, the figurehead of their conspiracy, rather than the charming, funny little girl she loved more than any other person in the world.

She was the only family she had left now.

Despite her faith in Sasuke, she was concerned that he would not be able to engineer Sakura's escape prior to the auction. After she was claimed by one of Orochimaru's well-paying subjects, Tsunade knew she would be traumatized by the experience. She would never be the same again.

It was crucial, not just as a conspirator but as a loving aunt, that she ensure Sakura's safe departure from the palace before the auction could take place.

Telling the others had been a thoroughly unpleasant experience. Everyone was disgusted and infuriated by the barbaric treatment of their princess and friend, none more so than Naruto.

"How could they do that to her?" he yelled. "She's not even an adult yet! How could they?"

"We have to have faith in Sasuke," Ino said quietly. "He wouldn't let anything like that happen to her, I know he wouldn't."

"Hell no he won't!" Naruto agreed loudly. "Sasuke's head over heels for Sakura, it's in his blood to look out for her, dattebayo!"

Nonetheless, a dark cloud descended over the rebel camp. Everyone prayed for Sasuke's success and Sakura's rescue.

xoxoxo

Karin dressed the morning of the auction in a deep red gown, the most regal-looking thing she owned, and made sure that Sakura's crown was resting prominently on her scarlet hair.

She would show Sasuke who deserved to become his matriarch.

Standing next to Sakura, who was to be auctioned off to the highest bidder like a piece of furniture, she would look both royal and powerful, untouchable and divine; Sasuke would never pay the common trash for sale a lick of attention next to the regal Lady Karin.

A smirk lifted her painted lips as Ami and Tayuya helped apply her makeup and touch up her hair. Orochimaru required everyone's presence at the auction in the Grand Hall; she would not miss an opportunity to dazzle Sasuke with her refined beauty. The finishing touch was a heavy necklace at her throat, the pendant full of a powerful sleeping agent. A few droplets of this in Sasuke's drink, and he would never remember staggering back to his room with Karin on his arm.

_We'll see how high and mighty you are after today, Sakura!_ she thought viciously.

xoxoxo

Sakura knew that what she was attempting could very well be a suicide mission.

She also knew that she preferred suicide to what awaited her in the auction hall.

Ami, Tayuya, and several other Oto ladies of the court spent the last several hours having her dressed in skimpy, revealing clothing designed to attract the attention of Orochimaru's subordinates. She stared at her reflection and despised who she saw.

The woman in the mirror wore heavy makeup, dark at her eyes, her lips stained red; pink hair hung in tight ringlets down her back, her bangs pinned up. The dress she wore (if it could be called a dress) was virginal white satin, tight-fitting and falling only to mid-thigh, exposing her legs and a good deal of cleavage. She was festooned in jewels; even the shackles around her hands were encrusted with expensive gems.

It was the ultimate disgrace for a princess, and Orochimaru knew it.

Her eyes narrowed at her reflection, and she turned away from it in disgust. _I have to survive the auction,_ she thought fiercely. _It will be humiliating and demeaning, but once I'm claimed, I can engineer my escape. Nothing will stop me from joining the revolution, Orochimaru! Not even you!_

The guards knocked on the door before entering to escort her to the hall. She was the last woman for sale, the jewel of the collection. It wouldn't do to be late.

Sakura prayed for the strength and cunning to pull off this next phase of her plan. Her parents' faces in mind, her resolve was fortified. As they entered the hall, green eyes showed nothing but fire.

xoxoxo

Sasuke prepared himself for this situation in advance.

He had been to several of Orochimaru's auctions before. Never as a buyer, merely a spectator; Orochimaru required all of the palace courtesans to attend back in Oto. It was a showcase, a spectacle, a way of cementing his authority in the minds of those he ruled by displaying those he conquered like trophies.

Having attended them before, he knew what to expect. The frightened, wide-eyed young girls and women, dressed promiscuously and sold, against their will, to the amoral customers eyeing them like scraps of meat.

He knew that they would save Sakura for last.

She was their most high-profile conquest. Her selling price would be astronomically high, not only for the title she once held, but for her young age and peerless beauty. He was certain that she was a virgin as well, which would automatically double the sum required for her.

Knowing all of this, he quieted the fury in his heart at what was about to happen and took his seat beside Orochimaru, who sat at the head of the long table looking enormously pleased with himself. Apparently the dining table would double as a runway stage for the "pieces", as the girls for sale were called.

If he needed another reason to want to slit Orochimaru's throat, this was it.

To his anger, Karin took the empty seat beside him and spent most of the meal chatting him up about what color curtains he would want for their marriage suite. Skillfully, he tuned out her delusional diatribe and kept his eyes fixated on the opposite end of the table, where the Konoha palace girls were being lined up.

What he needed to do was simple. He would cast the winning bid for Sakura, no matter how steep the sum. Sasuke knew that it would be suspicious to Orochimaru and Kabuto, which meant he would have to convince them that he bought Sakura to humiliate her further. His rescue of his childhood friend could not be interpreted as a rescue at all, if he was to avoid suspicion. He needed to make Orochimaru believe that he wanted to degrade and defile the once-proud princess in a fit of cruelty, not mercy.

He could just picture the look of disgust and fury on Sakura's face when his winning bid was cast. She would be devastated, he knew, to note that the boy whom she'd once cared so deeply for would want to use and humiliate her so basely. Even if it wasn't true, he couldn't stomach the idea of Sakura laboring under the delusion that he'd betray her like this.

But it didn't matter. It was for her own good. Sasuke would take her back to his rooms under the guise of making Sakura a sexual conquest. In reality, he would not touch her; he would merely reveal himself as a spy, try his hardest to win her trust, and have her act like he'd taken advantage of her the night before when Orochimaru came to see her. She was quite the little actress, having convinced both Orochimaru and Kabuto of a series of complete fabrications, all while pretending to be starving to death.

It was all about fabrications now. Facades. Orochimaru needed to believe that Sasuke had been twisted into a soulless, heartless, remorseless soldier unrecognizable to the boy he once had been. Perhaps after tonight, Sakrua would be able to see that that simply wasn't the case.

Sasuke was so focused on his mission that he didn't notice Karin fiddling stealthily with her necklace.

He didn't notice the way her hand tipped discreetly over his goblet of wine.

He didn't notice the smirk of triumph on her face as he absently took a sip.

xoxoxo

One by one, the girls were sold to various Oto council members and courtesans. Sakura despised the fact that she was so unable to help them; they were her friends, her countrymen, and she was completely powerless to save them from their undeserved fate. Despite her despair, despite her fear, despite her anger, Sakura kept her face expressionless, serene. Hard.

She would never give Orochimaru the satisfaction of victory. She would not break.

It was finally Sakura's turn, and she stood alone on the table while Kabuto, the auctioneer, announced her.

"Our final piece this evening is of the rarest value," he said, the smirk in his voice enough to make her stomach turn. Sakura kept her eyes focused on the wall, avoiding the lecherous stares and catcalls of the customers waiting to purchase her. She felt tears burn in her eyes but like _hell_ would she let them fall.

"She is the former princess of the fallen kingdom of Konoha. Sixteen years old, 5'2" and 102 pounds, she is the last heiress to the royal Haruno family. Renowned for her beauty, this exotic virgin is the jewel of our collection. Do I hear an opening bid?"

xoxoxo

Sasuke kept his eyes glued to the woman standing alone on the table.

His blood scalded in his veins. His heart raced. How _dare_ they treat her like this. They would pay for it, they would all pay for it.

Predictably, Sakura drew the most attention. Whistles and catcalls erupted from all corners of the room. To Sasuke's blinding fury, several of the customers reached up onto the table, their hands raking across her legs and ankles, the only parts of her they could reach. Sakura's eyes were full of anger and humiliation, but she didn't so much as shed a tear.

This was so much worse than he had expected it would be.

Kabuto read off her statistics before the auctioning began. Bids were shouted out across the room, back and forth, the price climbing steadily higher.

Sasuke, keeping an icy smirk on his face, called out a bid as well, to general astonishment. Beside him, Karin gave a strangled scream of feminine ire at his interest, but he merely grinned conspiratorially at Orochimaru.

"I'll make sure she pays for her insubordination," Sasuke promised darkly, and Orochimaru smirked.

The bidding war still raged. Sasuke avoided Sakura's look of shock, anger, and betrayal as he continued to bid for her. Minutes passed; the sum continued to increase, the bidders slowly dropping out of the race one by one as they tried to find a winner. Sasuke was so close...

Something wasn't right.

His mind felt foggy all of a sudden, his thoughts clouded and murky. Sakura became blurrier and blurrier from her position on the table as his eyes started to slide shut.

_Someone...slipped me something,_ he realized in naked horror. _In the wine...something was in the wine!_

His last thought was a desperate apology to Sakura as she was sold to Hozuki Suigetsu. Then his head slumped forward onto his chest, and his world went black.

xoxoxo

**note..**Thank you for the continued support! See you soon!


	15. Fight and Flight

Sasuke was bidding on her. He was sitting beside Orochimaru, exchanging sly, conspiratorial jibes at her expense, and he was bidding on her virginity.

It seemed that there were no depths he would not sink to.

Her heart broke again at the betrayal. Not only would he abandon her when she needed him, he would return to humiliate her as well?

_I will never forgive you for this,_ she thought with tears in her eyes. She almost didn't hear the winning bid called out; abruptly, Sasuke dropped out of the running, his head bowed in disinterest, and she was sold to Suigetsu.

_Stop thinking about him!_ Sakura chastised herself. _Focus! You only have one chance at this!_

"Congratulations to Hozuki Suigetsu!" Kabuto exclaimed, to general applause. "He has placed the highest bid in the history of our auctions, and won the beautiful Haruno Sakura for the evening!"

Sakura tuned out the actual sum Suigetsu had promised for her; she did not want to know how much money the Oto courtesans decided her body was worth, it would make her sick to her stomach. So Suigetsu had purchased her. A wry smirk twisted her lips.

_I won't have any compunctions about killing you,_she thought fiercely.

The guards came to lead her to a victorious Suigetsu's room. She would need to pull off the charade of a lifetime. It would require every ounce of her cunning, every droplet of strength, and every iota of courage she possessed within her. It was extremely dangerous...but Sakura would succeed. She had to.

xoxoxo

Karin could hardly process her rage.

She had thought that seeing Sakura in such a deplorable, degrading state would cement her status as the prime candidate for Sasuke's regard. How could he prefer that homeless, orphan _whore_ to the _Lady_ of Konoha? It was inconceivable, but she had seen it with her own eyes. Sasuke had _bid_ on Sakura. Emotionless, detached Uchiha Sasuke had cast his hand in at a whore's auction.

Part of her argued that he was only doing it to humiliate and traumatize a girl he no longer cared for, but she couldn't quite convince herself. Her goal of eliminating Sakura as a potential threat had backfired, and she now recognized that the deposed princess was a competitor in the battle for Sasuke's heart.

Luckily, her sleeping agent had kicked in at precisely the right moment. Sasuke was knocked out, and Suigetsu cast the winning bid instead. She was furious that Sasuke was interested in Sakura in the first place, but surely now that she was to be used by Suigetsu, she would no longer hold his attention.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, you must not be feeling well," Karin said sympathetically, stroking the back of his hand. He didn't move. "Well, let me tuck you in, then. Ami, Tayuya?"

Together, the three girls supported an unconscious Sasuke out of the hall. Karin managed to quell her jealous fury. _It doesn't matter in the end, Sakura,_ she thought contemptuously. _Sasuke is mine!_

xoxoxo

Suigetsu's rooms once belonged to Naruto, when he'd lived in the palace.

The fact that he had stolen them made her hate him all the more.

She was dragged inside by the guards, thrown on the bed, and locked inside to await Suigetsu's arrival. She wished they had removed the jeweled manacles from her wrists, which were starting to chafe and which would make what she was planning even more difficult.

Suigetsu arrived soon after. He locked the door behind him and drank her in with his eyes. If the smirk on his face and the fact that he had paid such an exorbitant amount for her was any indication, he liked what he saw. Swallowing her heart and ignoring the churning of her stomach, Sakura looked up at him with wide, fearful eyes. In the dress she was wearing, she looked every bit the part of timid, innocent virgin, and Suigetsu, she knew, was hooked.

"You cost me a year's wages, sweetheart," Suigetsu informed her huskily. He removed his black captain's jacket and tossed it idly across a chair before loosening the collar of his white shirt. "And I get paid pretty well here under Orochimaru-sama. I hope you're worth it, but with those legs, I don't see how you couldn't be."

Sakura was _repulsed,_ and though her plan was to effect shyness and fright, she spoke before she could stop herself.

"You are a fool, a vile one, to waste such money on a girl who will _never_ submit to you," she hissed.

Suigetsu, however, appeared to prefer her feisty nature to the cowering girl she had been planning to portray. He chuckled good-naturedly before removing his shirt and letting it fall to the floor. He knelt on the edge of the bed, staring down at her with shameless light eyes sweeping across her figure. The second he touched her, she knew, he would regret it.

"Come on, sweetheart, it doesn't have to be painful," he said coaxingly. "I'm a handsome guy, aren't I?"

"Keep your _filthy_ hands away from me."

"Not like you could do much to stop me with those on," he chuckled, gesturing to the heavy manacles around her wrists. "I could take 'em off for you, though, if you promise to behave..."

Sakura's eyes flashed. There were no weapons nearby she could use on him, no heavy objects to attack him with...it would have to be with her bare hands. Even if she couldn't kill him, if she could just manage to incapacitate him somehow...

Suigetsu didn't wait for her answer. He lifted her wrists to examine the manacles around them, and opened his mouth to say something, when Sakura acted.

She kicked him as hard as she possibly could between the legs.

He was caught off-guard, completely unawares. He let out a howl of pain before falling off the bed. Sakura, knowing someone would have heard that, jumped off the bed as well and straddled his chest, clamping her hand over his mouth to silence him. No one came, apparently having been warned that cries might issue from his room that night and dismissing them as status quo.

Suigetsu, furious, reached up towards her neck and, through his agony, gripped onto her throat with enough force to choke her.

_Shit!_she thought in a panic. _If he overpowers me, I'm dead!_

He was suffocating her. She gasped for air, releasing his mouth to scrabble desperately at his hands around her neck. He squeezed harder, his teasing manner gone, nothing in his face but anger.

"You little _bitch,_" he snarled, while Sakura's vision went white.

_Fake it, Sakura!_she thought desperately. _Fake it! Come on, before he kills you for real!_

With that, she released a little moan of surrender and allowed herself to go limp in his arms. Stunned at what had just happened, Suigetsu let her go. She hit the floor in a crumpled heap and did not move.

Suigetsu stood up, breathing heavily and swiping the back of his hand across his forehead. Sakura held her breath while he examined her to see if she was alive; his shocked gasp confirmed the fact that he thought her dead.

She had _one_ chance at this.

If she didn't take Suigetsu out this time, she was dead for real. Summoning every last shred of bravery within her, Sakura swung her leg out in a wide arc, sweeping Suigetsu's ankle. With a surprised shout, he fell forward...

His head smashing into the bedside table.

He let out a gruff moan of pain before he hit the floor and lay still. Sakura inhaled great lungfuls of air, massaging her throat, and checked Suigetsu's pulse. He was alive. Knocked out, but alive, which meant she would have to work fast.

Quickly, she rummaged through his pockets and found the key to the manacles he'd been about to use, prior to her attacking him. With a great deal of maneuvering, she unlocked them and freed her wrists. Thinking quickly, in case he woke up, Sakura attached one end of the manacle to one of his ankles, the other to the bed before she threw the key out the window.

She would need to disguise herself, she realized. Running through the palace gardens in a tiny white dress with her pink hair flying behind her would give her away immediately. She ran to Suigetsu's discarded pile of clothing, she dressed quickly in the white shirt and black jacket, rolling the sleeves up several times to accommodate her smaller size. She found a pair of black trousers in one of his drawers and tugged those on as well before shoving her feet into the oversized boots he'd kicked off in the corner. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail before seizing a black cloak from his closet and pulling it up over her head.

Beside the bed, Suigetsu didn't stir. _I hope he has a concussion,_ she thought viciously, before turning her attention to the window.

There were no guards beneath it, to her numbing relief, which made sense. Her quarters were so heavily guarded because she was a prisoner, but Suigetsu, a respected Oto captain, would not require such stringent security.

Could her plan actually succeed?

She moved to climb out the two-story window, but realized she was unarmed. If she ran into any trouble, she had to be able to put up a fight.

She was extremely skilled with a bow and arrow, archery having been her sport of choice in her childhood, but a quick sweep of Suigetsu's room revealed only a few knives and swords in a weapons chest. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. Sakura was nowhere near as proficient with a sword as she would have liked to be, but anything was better than nothing.

She strapped one sword to the holster at her waist and slipped one of the knives inside her left boot. _Now or never, Sakura,_ she thought fiercely, before swinging one leg over the side of the window.

"Where the hell are you going?" a deafening voice interrupted, and to her horror, she saw that Suigetsu had woken up. His eyes were bleary and unfocused, but he seemed to make sense of what was going on. The manacles kept him shackled to the bed, but she should have gagged him as well. "SHE'S ESCAPING! THE PRINCESS IS ESCAPING!"

Swallowing her heart, Sakura hissed out, "Burn in hell," before shinnying down the side of the palace and into the night.

xoxoxo

Sasuke was coming around, slowly but surely.

Narcotics never lasted long on him. He had a powerful immunity to most drugs thanks to years of strict training with Orochimaru.

He became aware that he was moving through the palace halls, his feet dragging sluggishly beneath him. He smelled three offensive perfumes, and recognized that he was being supported by three women. A flash of red hair confirmed what he already knew.

"Karin," he growled.

Forget about using her as a source of information. Her interference led to the failure of his mission to protect Sakura. By now, she would be locked up in Suigetsu's room, helpless to defend herself...he was going to rape her, and because of Karin's trick, he couldn't stop it.

He shook himself free of the girls' grip. Karin looked stunned that he had woken so quickly, and she giggled nervously in response to his boiling anger.

"Just a little joke, Sasuke-kun, to keep you sharp!" she said sweetly. "You know better than to taste food a stranger has prepared!"

He was going to decapitate her, he realized gravely. His hand closed around the hilt of his sword, but before he could draw it, a deafening yell sounded from an adjacent corridor.

"_She's escaping! The princess is escaping!_"

Sasuke was stunned. _She got away?_ he thought, amazed. She hadn't needed him to get her out of the palace at all?

"Sasuke-kun," Karin began, but he took off like a flash towards Suigetsu's room. It was locked from the inside; in a fit of adrenaline, his previous drowsiness utterly gone in the wake of this new development, he slammed his shoulder against the door and broke it down. Several more Oto soldiers ran inside after him to investigate the commotion, and Sasuke was satisfied. Witnesses, to see that Sakura had escaped on her own, without any inside assistance.

The fact that he was not linked to her flight meant that he could continue to stay here in the palace, and feed Tsunade and the revolution important information about Orochimaru's plan. Sakura, for the second time, had spared the revelation of their insurrection with her own quick thinking.

Suigetsu was lying on the floor, bare-chested, a huge welt on his forehead that bled sluggishly into his manic eyes. His ankle was cuffed to one of the bedposts, and he was trying uselessly to free himself.

"What the hell happened?" Sasuke demanded, fighting to keep the triumphant smirk off his face at seeing Suigetsu get exactly what he deserved.

"She got out!" Suigetsu bit out, enraged and humiliated. "Little bitch clocked me and slipped out the window! Stop her, Uchiha!"

_Stop her? _Sasuke thought in grim amusement. _I'm going to send her right into the rebel camp._

With that, he called to the other soldiers, "Notify Orochimaru at once," and without a backwards glance, he slipped out the window and took off in hot pursuit.

xoxoxo


	16. Unraveling

Sheer adrenaline kept Sakura moving at this point.

She made it down the wall and landed neatly on the grass below, in the courtyard her mother had loved so much. She kept one hand on the hilt of her sword and ran hell-for-leather through the overgrowth of the once-tended garden, her boots crunching noisily on the dead, unwatered grass beneath her.

Behind her, shouts and angered cries raised a mighty alarm; it wouldn't be long before they caught up to her. To ensure her safe escape, she would need to jump the courtyard wall and hide somewhere in the city. She had no idea how to find Tsunade and the others, but she certainly wouldn't be able to if she was dragged back to the palace.

She did not want to imagine the punishment for this half-cocked escape, so with every panicked thought, she spurred herself faster.

Sakura sprinted through the unkempt garden, narrowly avoiding the trees she'd once studied under during balmy spring afternoons with her aunt; she sped past the fountain she used to sit with beside her mother with a pang of remorse, but she couldn't afford to stop and reflect on the ghosts of her past. If this didn't work, she knew she wouldn't get another chance.

Sakura had always been fast. She was small and quick, and unlike the Oto soldiers, she knew every nook and cranny of the palace grounds. She ducked a hard left and concealed herself completely behind a massive cherry blossom tree, the blackness of her clothes blending in completely with the night, and she silenced her heavy breathing as she listened for her pursuers.

They crashed loudly, angrily through the garden, yelling orders to one another and unspeakable threats to her. No one, however, paid any mind to the little nook beneath the tree where their runaway was currently hidden, catching her breath and preparing herself for her next move.

"She must've gone over the wall!" one of the guards shouted.

"Shit, go after her! If she gets away, we're all dead!"

"When I find that little bitch, there won't be anything left to bury!"

Sakura's grip tightened around her sword as she lay in wait; the guards, one by one, climbed over the stone wall and took off into the night in hot pursuit.

She was alone in the garden now, she was sure of it. Her limbs shook in relief. Now, she just had to scale the wall herself and find somewhere in Konoha to hide until morning, when she could send a messenger hawk to Tsunade and find out the location of the rebel camp, and-

Her thoughts were cut short.

Her lungs suddenly couldn't produce enough air.

All Sakura knew in that moment was the cold kiss of a razorsharp blade against her throat, an iron grip around her arm, and a dark, familiar voice whispering in her ear.

"Hello, Princess."

xoxoxo

Sasuke really had to give her credit. Sakura knew what she was doing.

She had taken down Suigetsu, no small feat, considering that he was captain of the Oto guards in Konoha, and she'd been tied up. She'd disguised herself in his clothes, masquerading as an Oto soldier, and avoided every single one of the guards hunting her down...

Except him.

He kept his sword at her neck, and beneath his hand, the muscle in her arm flexed in anticipation. Though her clothes were bulky and hid her completely, he could feel how thin and feminine she was through her cloak, and wondered at this small, fragile-looking creature's unbreakable will.

"Let me go or I'll kill you where you stand," she hissed.

She really hadn't changed a bit, he mused, and part of him was happy to hear her snarky attitude. But time was of the essence, so he'd have to make this fast.

"Big words from such a little girl," he said coolly. "Now list-"

Sakura didn't wait for him. In a flash, she'd knocked his sword hand away from her throat, and before he could grab her again, she twisted out of his reach. Her own sword came up to parry his; the resounding clash was deafening, and Sakura's hood fell back to reveal long pink hair and furious green eyes.

Recognition dawned on her, and he watched as her eyes widened in anger.

"Sasuke," she spat like a curse.

It didn't suit her, he realized, this vengefulness. Sakura was always compassionate and kind above all things, clever and witty and charming; all this hatred, all this venom directed towards him didn't look right on her at all, even if he deserved it.

"You sick, twisted bastard," she snapped.

"It's no use fighting me, Sakura, swords aren't your strong suit," Sasuke said. "Put that down and listen to-"

She gave an anguished cry and swung her weapon his way; he ducked backwards and narrowly avoided losing an ear. "Damn it, Sakura, just-"

Sakura jabbed towards his side. He brought up his sword and knocked her blade clear out of her hands before reaching for her collar. He needed her _attention_ if they were both going to survive the night. Ten feet away, her sword fell noisily to the cobblestones way out of reach.

"Listen to me, you little-"

The little minx was full of surprises, it seemed, because not two seconds after losing her primary weapon, she'd plunged her hand into her boot, produced a dagger, and held it up against his throat. He was so surprised he stopped cold, and stared down into her murderous green eyes.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't do it," Sakura challenged him, her teeth bared. "_One reason,_ you _traitor._"

He had her attention now. Annoyed that she'd put him in this position, he murmured, "I know where Tsunade and the others are. I'm gonna help you find them."

xoxoxo

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Like hell you will," she hissed. The dagger she held to his throat scraped the skin. Tiny beads of blood swam down the column of his neck, and her eyes traced their movements, unconsciously formulating a way to treat the minor wound.

"You're not a killer, Sakura," Sasuke said softly. "You're a healer. And you're needed by the rebellion. I don't have time to explain everything right now. You need to _trust me._"

"How could I ever trust _you?_" Sakura whispered.

"Get your sword," he ordered. "Put up your hood and do _exactly as I say._ If you don't, they'll find you in no time. Understand?"

"You-"

"You can hate me some other time!" Sasuke snapped, losing his temper at last. They couldn't risk dawdling here another second. He sheathed his sword to show her he wouldn't harm her. She looked suspicious at the gesture before lowering her dagger but not putting it away. "You have no idea where to find them, and I know exactly where they are."

"If you know their location, why haven't you sold them out to Orochimaru?" Sakura demanded.

"Because I'm leading the rebellion," Sasuke hissed.

Sakura was shocked. This was too much to process, too good to be true. Sasuke was a traitor, he'd betrayed Konoha, he'd left her alone...he'd come back to gloat on Oto's victory, he'd _bid_ on her at that horrible auction with such _coldness_ in his eyes...

She was supposed to believe that this boy, this man, this _traitor_ was spearheading the rebellion she was seeking to join?

"The whole thing collapses if you die," he whispered angrily. "I was keeping you alive in there but you insisted on doing things yourself. Get over the _fucking_ wall, hide underneath the bridge, and wait for me. Sakura if I wanted to kill you, I'd do it now."

What choice did she have? Sasuke was right. She had no clue where to find the other rebels, and odds were, she'd be captured trying to look for them. And he wasn't shouting out her location to the other soldiers, or dragging her back inside the palace himself.

Beyond that, though, Sakura desperately wanted to believe that Sasuke was on her side. She wanted to believe that the boy she'd once loved was not completely dead, and it was that desire more than anything that had her tugging up her hood, strapping her sword to her waist, and climbing up the wall and out of sight.

xoxoxo

No one remained in the courtyard, a good sign. If there had been any stragglers who had overheard his covert discussion with Sakura, he would need to kill them, and find a way to convince Orochimaru that Sakura, in her frenzied state, had done it. There was no way Orochimaru would believe that a skinny sixteen-year-old girl would be capable of felling one of his soldiers, so this prevented a fair amount of complications.

He raced back inside the palace to report to Orochimaru what he found. Or rather, what he wanted Orochimaru to believe.

Orochimaru looked _irate._ His amber eyes were narrowed in anger, his white fingers pulling through his long, greasy black hair as he paced the floor of the throne room. When Sasuke entered, he barked out, "Uchiha! Report!"

"She escaped towards the village gates," Sasuke replied coolly, a lie that Orochimaru bought completely. The bridge Sasuke had sent Sakura to was in the opposite direction. "She overpowered Hozuki Suigetsu in his room and jumped out of the window; Sakon's unit is in pursuit."

Orochimaru swore colorfully under his breath before calming himself eerily quickly. He fixed his favorite pupil with a burning stare as he commanded, "Find her, Sasuke-kun. Bring her to me alive. Burn this city to the ground if you need to but _bring her to me._"

xoxoxo

**note..** This site is being a big asshole. Stop deleting all my chapters. Ugh. Sorry for the inconvenience, sweethearts.


	17. Trust

Sakura reached the bridge and collapsed to her hands and knees in exhaustion.

_What am I doing?_ she thought desperately.

She'd come here on the orders of Sasuke, a known traitor and the prized apprentice of Orochimaru, the reason her family was dead and her people enslaved. What had she been thinking, trusting in his word? He'd most likely sent her straight into the waiting arms of an ambush.

But there didn't seem to be anybody around. The night was quiet and the sky overhead was clear. A crescent moon illuminated the darkness, reflected in the crystal water beneath the bridge. Sakura felt safer than she thought she should, if only because Sasuke hadn't captured her back at the palace, or slain heSher on the spot.

What possible reason could he have for leaving her alive? For helping her escape?

He'd stated he was a member of the rebellion, one of the leaders at that, but Sakura didn't trust that even for a moment. If he'd been acting as a spy for Orochimaru, surely he would have revealed himself to her over the past several days? Instead, he'd watched emotionlessly as she was dethroned, tortured, imprisoned, and humiliated. Remembering the coldness in his eyes when he'd bid on her just hours before made her blood turn to ice.

Nothing made sense at this point, and Sakura was entirely too drained to even try to think on it more. She'd held herself together for several days, never allowing herself to break down or fall apart. Yet as she knelt there, concealed beneath the bridge and staring at her reflection in the water, she felt each grievance, each heartache, each struggle overpower her heart, and finally, finally she let herself cry.

She cried for her parents, dead, like so many of their loyal subjects. She cried knowing she would never again receive a hug from her mother, a warm smile from her father. She cried for the fate of her people, all of whom had been forced into slavery while Orochimaru and his invaders reaped the benefits from their struggles. She cried for her friends, several of whom had died and most of whose whereabouts were still unknown.

She wrapped her arms around her waist in a defensive gesture, as if trying to keep herself in one piece as her shoulders shook with silent sobs. Remembering the feral glint in Suigetsu's eyes as he'd approached her, his intent clear whether she consented or not, she released the gasp of fear she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. How close had she come that evening, to losing absolutely everything that made her who she was?

Much more of this, Sakura knew, and she would break, regardless of how much she was needed or how desperately she tried to keep herself together. She'd lost her family, her home, her birthright, and many of her friends. She had no idea where to go now, or who to trust; her only lead at this point was the traitor she'd once dreamt of marrying, before his cruel betrayal and defection to the land of Konoha's enemies.

He held answers behind those cold black eyes, and Sakura needed to have them.

xoxoxo

He found her on her knees, her arms wrapped tightly around her, and he knew from the pained expression on her face and the tears that streamed from her cheeks that she was trying not to break.

The stress of the last few weeks caught up to her at last, it seemed, and Sasuke's heart twisted at the sight of such grief. Sakura had forced herself to be strong for everyone else's sake, and in doing so, had not allowed herself to properly grieve for what she lost. Instead, she internalized what she was enduring and kept up a front of fortitude and immutability.

Sasuke was relieved that she'd outrun the guards. She'd always been devilishly quick as a child, and it seemed she hadn't whiled away the time allowing her body to become idle.

"Sakura," he said softly, and her head snapped up to meet his. Startlingly green eyes locked onto his, tears falling down her dirt-smudged cheeks. Her body, even in such a vulnerable position, became tense and defensive. She didn't trust him.

This would be difficult.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said flatly, forcefully. At her skeptical glare, he sighed and drew his sword from its sheath, only to toss it harmlessly at her feet to show willing. Her eyebrows raised. "There isn't a lot of time, we have to act quickly."

"We?" she echoed with a humorless laugh that didn't suit her in the slightest. She brushed away her tears impatiently and rose to her feet. "What 'we'? You left. You betrayed us. You left Konoha to burn. Why should I trust anything you say?"

Her words were accusatory, challenging. There was naked contempt in eyes that once looked at him with love and devotion.

His reply was soft. "You don't have a choice."

Sakura spun on her heel to leave, but quicker than lightning he reached out and caught her arm.

"Get off of me," she snarled.

"You don't know anything about what's happening, do you?" Sasuke snapped back. Her anger was much easier for him to work with than the crushing despair on her face just moments ago. Anger was an emotion he could easily understand, relate to, handle. "You don't know where to go next, you don't know where your friends are or who you can turn to for help. You are in no position to doubt me."

Sakura would have screamed if it wasn't suicidal. Instead, she released a boiling hiss of, "I am in _every_ position to doubt you, you _traitor!_ All this time, and I'm expected to believe that you're my ally?"

"I'm leading this rebellion," Sasuke retorted angrily. "Along with your aunt and the rest of your friends. I'm a spy, Sakura. Is that so hard to believe?"

"After everything you did?"

"I left to train as a soldier," he spat, "not to plot terrorism against my own homeland. My defection allowed me to gain Orochimaru's trust, as long as everyone believes my allegiance is with Oto."

"Your _allegiance?_ Your allegiance has been and will always be with yourself, Sasuke! Yourself and your family and _damn to hell everyone else!_"

White-hot anger rippled through his body, but he forcibly reminded himself that Sakura had every right in the world to question his loyalties. Keeping himself as composed as he could, he bit out, "It's different now. Things aren't the same."

His explanation was clearly unsatisfactory. Sakura's eyes _flamed,_ and she hissed, "That explains _nothing._ Give me one reason why I shouldn't _kill you_."

"You'd never be able to," he sneered. "For starters. But I won't fight a woman, no matter how much good a decent smack would do her."

"Bastard," she snapped. "If you are truly Konoha's, then-"

"Why did I not reveal myself to you sooner?" he finished, remembering how much she loathed being interrupted and taking a slight, primal pleasure in how her lips curled. "I was still under suspicion. To prove myself to Orochimaru, I couldn't intervene for any reason short of death. If he planned to kill you, I would have blown my cover, but anything less..."

"Like torture?" she whispered, and he could tell by the hollow expression in her eyes that the memory haunted her. "Or rape?"

Sasuke stiffened under her accusatory gaze. "I didn't have a choice," he murmured, in reference to the former. To the latter, he asked, "Why do you think I bid on you in the first place?"

"To humiliate me even further," Sakura answered waspishly. "To degrade the last wishes of our parents. To-"

"To protect you," he cut in. His hands were clenched into fists, the leather of his gloves stretching. "I had to. I did it under the guise of cruelty, but I did it to protect you. Anyone else would have raped you."

"You stopped bidding," she shot back suspiciously. "If that was the plan, why did you stop bidding?"

Sasuke remembered the fogginess in his head, courtesy of Karin's interference, and muttered, "I was drugged. By an overzealous fanatic."

He did not expect Sakura's face to contort into a contemptuous sneer. "Ah. The esteemed _Lady of Konoha?_ I couldn't help but notice her dangling off your arm...I can't imagine her distress upon seeing her beloved _Sasuke-kun_ bid on a whore like a piece of furniture!"

Sasuke bristled at her use of 'Sasuke-kun', and even more so when she called herself a whore. Nothing could be further from the truth, but he knew that Sakura was at her limit now. She couldn't take much more of this.

"I will tell you later," he said quietly, "my reasons for returning. I did leave you. I did leave Konoha. And I was wrong. I would apologize if I thought it would help, but I know you, Sakura, and you have convinced yourself that I am your enemy."

"What else am I supposed to think?" she whispered.

"That maybe I'm keeping the only promise in my life I haven't broken," Sasuke replied before he could stop himself. He looked away from her, bending to retrieve his surrendered sword and sliding it back into its sheath. He put his hood back up and motioned for her to do the same; to his surprise, she obeyed, concealing long pink hair from view. "I will take you to the rebel camp. Tsunade and the others will explain the rest."

Sasuke was not entirely sure why she followed him. Perhaps it was fear that he would turn her in, suspicion of his true motives. Perhaps it was simply because she had no idea where to go next.

Or perhaps it was the ghost of a promise lingering between them, the vow a stupid little boy made to a silly little girl forever and a lifetime ago:

_"I'll always protect you."_

xoxoxo

**note..**Hey howdy hey! Thanks for reading, let me know what you think, and I'll see you soon! love Daisyyyyy


	18. Escape

The palace was in an uproar.

Nearly all of the Oto soldiers had vacated the palace to hunt for Sakura. Orders were shouted down the winding corridors, the echoes of loud commands reverberating off the high ceilings and carrying down the hallways. No one slept, the noise too unignorable, the excitement too great.

How had she managed to escape?

Orochimaru was as intrigued as he was furious.

He sat on his throne, arms folded, deep in thought. He had clearly underestimated his opponent in this case, but could he really be blamed for that? Sakura was sixteen years old, a sheltered, spoiled little porcelain doll of a girl. He had taken one look at her and even though he acknowledged her fiery spirit, he never thought she had the courage and wherewithal to go toe-to-toe with his soldiers, and _win._

She managed to overpower his captain, and sneak undetected off the palace grounds. A search of Suigetsu's room confirmed that she'd stolen both his clothes and several of his weapons, and Orochimaru begrudgingly admired the foresight she possessed to both arm _and_ disguise herself. She was clever, and what she lacked in physical strength, she made up for in resourcefulness.

Clearly, Tsunade-chan had quite the influence on her.

"She escaped the grounds, Orochimaru-sama." Amber eyes narrowed and locked on Kabuto, who looked appropriately aggravated in the face of their newest trouble. "There's no sign of her. The soldiers await your orders."

Orochimaru was quiet for a moment, eyeing the fine filigree inlaid on the painted cedar throne, before he replied, "She must be taken. _Alive._"

"Sir I think it unwise to press forward under the assumption that she is acting alone," Kabuto said flatly, and not for the first time, Orochimaru admired the fearlessness with which he spoke. Kabuto may have been a pandering lackey, but he was unafraid to speak his mind.

"And who do you believe is aiding her, Kabuto?"

"Sasuke-kun revealed to us that there are spies within our walls," Kabuto replied.

"Aa. And you believe that perhaps one of them assisted her in her flight?"

"Yes. She may be a feisty little thing, but it is foolish to presume that she escaped past our entire guard undetected, and that, even if she managed to accomplish such a feat, she would not be captured immediately upon setting foot outside the palace grounds. The city is swarming with soldiers, and she has nowhere to go, now that her aunt's committed suicide."

Orochimaru pondered Kabuto's words for a moment.

"I dispatched Sasuke-kun to retrieve her," he revealed.

"And do you think you can trust Sasuke-kun?" Kabuto asked, light dancing off his glasses to conceal his eyes. "Let us not forget that, though he denies the existence of a marriage contract between them, the Haruno family and the Uchiha family were close friends and allies. Rumors spread throughout Konoha from the time the two were born that they were to be married one day. How certain can you be, that he is not aiding and abetting Sakura-chan now?"

Orochimaru chuckled insidiously under his breath before standing. "I had my doubts, Kabuto, concerning Sasuke-kun's true loyalties, but tonight, he proved himself to me." Orochimaru recalled the naked desire in Sasuke's eyes earlier that evening, when Sakura was paraded out onto the bidding stage, along with the sheer brutality in the way he'd bid on her himself. He would have to truly be gone, departed from humanity, to take such pleasure in degrading one of his childhood friends so basely.

"Sakura-chan revealed to us that there are traitors in our midst," he continued. "I suggest that, while he is searching for our troublesome little princess, you seek them out and bring them to me. My orders? Tear this city apart. Burn it to the ground but _find her._"

xoxoxo

Karin knew she would never be able to sleep.

The deafening sound of soldiers running through the hallways and down the winding corridors kept her awake, coupled with the shouts of orders echoing off the high windows and vaulted ceilings. Not even the satiny comfort of the royal bed she laid in could beckon her to sleep.

Sasuke had _bid_ on Sakura.

Whenever she tried to sleep, the memory of the desire burning in his eyes when he'd seen her played back in her head, awakening a wave of jealousy so strong she could barely breathe. To think that a slip of a girl like Sakura could make Sasuke burn so, when not years of Karin's strongest efforts could engender so much as a stir of interest to him.

Perhaps the rumors were true, then. Perhaps Sasuke was denying the existence of a marriage contract between he and Sakura, or that he was unaware of it in the first place.

But that would make Sasuke a traitor, and she dismissed the idea quickly. There was absolutely no way he would dare to challenge Orochimaru, which meant that his interest in Sakura was purely sexual, and that no feelings were involved.

That meant Karin stood a chance. A man could be aroused by a woman, and still belong to another woman. Her dreams of becoming the Uchiha matriarch were not as far away as they seemed. Surely when Orochimaru passed, he would name Sasuke as his successor, and what with her being the highest-ranking woman in Konoha at the moment, he would have no choice but to make her his queen!

Images of a regal-looking Sasuke, dressed to the hilt and wearing a crown on top of his messy black hair, seated on the royal throne with that sinful smirk in place made her stomach flutter. It was no work at all to picture herself next to him, in the crown Sakura once wore, seated in the throne that had once been hers.

She experienced a new calm at this refreshing perspective. Sakura may have escaped, but there was no way she would be able to outrun Sasuke. And this time, when she was captured, she was confident that Orochimaru would show no mercy.

And with Sakura out of the way, absolutely nothing could come between her and Sasuke.

Suddenly, the barking commands and thunderous footsteps of the hunters outside morphed into a macabre sort of lullaby, and with the prospect of Sakura's imminent execution in mind, Karin drifted off to a peaceful, dreamless slumber.

xoxoxo

_"You're annoying."_

_"Don't talk to me like that, Sasuke-kun. I could have you banished, you know."_

_"Tch. Like you'd last two minutes without me."_

_"I can take care of myself, you jerk! I don't need you to protect me all the time!"_

_"Hn. We'll see."_

Recalling a familiar childhood argument, Sakura continued to follow close behind Sasuke and wondered where exactly she left her sanity.

How stupid could she be, to trust this traitor in her first love's skin?

He'd stood by while she was arrested, tortured, imprisoned. He'd left Konoha at 12 and never looked back; she'd never even gotten a letter from him, anything to suggest he cared one iota for everyone and everything he'd left behind. In fact, Sakura had heard nothing about Uchiha Sasuke for years, until the news that he was training with Orochimaru, king of a faraway isolationist state.

The news was heartbreaking, but Sakura understood Sasuke's motivation. Sasuke's older brother Itachi, a quiet and mysterious boy whom Sasuke admired more than anyone else, had murdered their parents one night when they were seven. His reasons were unknown, but it changed something in Sasuke, forever altering the sweet, kind boy she'd grown up with and planting within him an obsessive need for revenge.

Though she disagreed with the concept of revenge, knowing it could bring nothing but heartache to everyone involved, Sakura certainly sympathized with Sasuke's need to enact vengeance on his older brother, and kill him.

But Itachi had gone on the run after the double homicide with no information as to his current whereabouts. Sasuke immediately began training as a soldier to hone his skills and present a challenge to Itachi should he return. But the going was slow, and Sakura knew he'd been getting frustrated with the process. When Orochimaru, hearing of his situation, presented him an opportunity to leave his homeland and join with Otogakure instead, Sasuke was gone, without so much as an explanation.

It had been nearly five years since then, and time had since warped Uchiha Sasuke into a stranger with a phantom's face. Handsome, familiar, but so cold, so unrecognizably aloof. He'd always been a cocky, arrogant brat of a boy, but this was different. Back then, there was still a distinguishable warmth about him, even in the snotty, disrespectful way he spoke to her. There was always an undercurrent of affection, and Sakura trusted him with her life.

But that wasn't the case anymore. Though she wanted to, how could she? Sasuke was in line with _them._ He'd aided and abetted Orochimaru's best efforts to conquer Konoha, displace her as queen, and allocate her people for slaughter.

And now he was helping her out of Konoha?

Surely he had another motive. It would be foolish beyond all reckoning to allow herself to believe that he was doing all of this to protect her, like he once would have.

If he was trying to sabotage her, however, why would he not have simply captured her back in the palace courtyard? She knew she was feisty, but Sasuke had devoted his entire life to swordsmanship in a bid to kill Uchiha Itachi and avenge his parents. Disarming and arresting her would have been child's play for him.

Sasuke swung suddenly down a side alley, grabbing the front of her cloak and dragging her with him. She flinched immediately at the contact and even had a hand to her sword before he murmured, "Don't move."

There was something chillingly authoritative in the way he spoke. Sakura bit her lip to stifle the nasty retort she had in mind, and was glad she did; a trio of Oto soldiers was running by the main road, and had just narrowly missed them.

He'd done it _again,_ protected her from the soldiers. But _why?_ What could be his motivation?

She was going insane trying to sort out his motives, trying to place his loyalty. Much more of this, and she was going to scream.

Then he looked at her, his cobalt gaze compelling her eyes to meet his, and when he had her attention, he said softly, "Ask me whatever you want later. But for now you have to trust me. Your rebelliousness is annoying."

Sakura was shocked. That was such a Sasuke thing to say. Reluctantly noble, slightly mean, but always with good intentions.

And, thoroughly against her will, she allowed herself to trust him.

xoxoxo

Sasuke watched as the haze of uneasiness melted from Sakura's expression, and her green eyes were warm and expressive once more. It was as if she had drawn a veil across her face to protect herself from him, and now she was slowly abandoning her mistrust of him.

Satisfied, he glanced once more into the street. The soldiers' thunderous footsteps were far ahead, and all was quiet once more. None of the Konoha residents stirred to see what the commotion was; the penalty for violating curfew was too high. This suited Sasuke just fine. He did not know who among Konoha he could trust not to betray either he or Sakura to Orochimaru, and at this point, neither one of them could afford to be caught.

"Stay close," he murmured to Sakura. He fully expected a nasty response, but instead, he felt her draw closer to him, not enough to touch but enough for him to be extremely aware of her presence. That was always the problem with Sakura, he realized. She had an annoying habit of making him hyperaware of everything she did.

She was _such_ a distraction.

But Sasuke shook his head and cleared his thoughts. Now was not the time to lose focus. Reassured by her trust in him (however temporary), he motioned towards the street and they ventured out of the dark alleyway.

Sasuke disliked traveling in the open like this. It was too easy to be spotted, and despite the fact that Sakura concealed her identity from head to toe, she was still noticeably small and slender. Anyone looking at her too closely would be able to tell she was a woman, and as Orochimaru had no female soldiers in his employ...

There was also a marked eerieness about the city now. The Konoha he remembered was bustling and full of life, even late at night. Teeming with people, laughter and shouts at all hours, but now, it was like running through a graveyard. No lights were on in any of the houses lining the once-opulent streets, and besides the barked commands and running footsteps of the soldiers in search of the missing princess, there was silence save for the wind.

The front gates were their only option out of the city at this point, and to walk straight out was suicide; Orochimaru had soldiers posted at the front at all hours. Their only option was to take horses, and count on Sasuke's menacing influence to camouflage Sakura from any inquisitive guards.

It was a shaky plan at best, but Sakura forced his hand. They were both toiling towards their own agendas, separate of the other's knowledge, and now this shoddy escape was dangerous at best, and suicidal at worst. His priority, whether or not he was discovered tonight by Orochimaru or any of his soldiers, was to free Sakura from the city safely. Once she was in the rebel camp with her aunt and the others, he was prepared to face the consequences for his betrayal.

He might even get a chance to kill Orochimaru even earlier than initially projected.

With that in mind, he grabbed Sakura's elbow (surprised but content that she didn't flinch at the contact) and wheeled her towards the stables.

"Horses?" she whispered, as he grabbed the first two from their pens, a light brown one and another auburn female. "Won't this be too noticeable?"

"Not if we run fast enough," Sasuke said curtly. He moved to offer her a hand mounting the mare, his mother's penchant for gentility drilled into his head even as the murderous traitor he'd become, but Sakura retained all of her athleticism from their childhood and was sitting in the saddle in an instant. He mounted the tan horse and checked that her hood was up.

"Out the front gates?" she asked quietly. "How far is the rebel camp?"

"Thirty miles East," he replied. "If we're separated, follow the main roads to the Great Naruto Bridge."

Sakura's eyes flickered with remembrance, and he knew she recalled the bridge's location. Her small, gloved hands gripped the reins tightly with anticipation.

"At the bridge, head West through the forest. I sent a message to Tsunade, and they're waiting for you."

"What about you?" Sakura asked. Sasuke caught the note of reluctance in her voice, as though she hadn't planned on asking in the first place.

"Once you're at the camp, I'm gonna lead them away from you."

"But-"

"No time for questions, Sakura, we have to go."

"You'd better make time, Sasuke!" she hissed, and there was so much of the stubborn little girl he'd come to love in her voice that he almost chuckled, were it not for the ache in his heart. "Damn it, what will you do, if you return to Orochimaru without me? He'd kill you!"

An ironic smirk twisted his lips. "Careful, Your Highness, you're starting to sound like you care."

Sakura's eyes _flamed,_ but before she could bite back, he snapped, "Now shut up and follow me. Ride as fast as you can. I'll answer all your stupid questions when I can but _now is not the time, you understand?_"

She showed every sign of wanting to argue with him, but apparently she had the wherewithal to shut her mouth and spare him a curt, evil nod.

Sasuke kicked his horse sharply in the sides, and behind him he heard Sakura do the same as they tore out of the stables, directly down the road toward the front gates. He allowed his hood to fall back so his face was exposed, and at the gate, he slowed his horse, and Sakura did the same before he motioned to the guards pacing the ten-foot wall with weapons drawn.

"It's Uchiha!" one of them called out, and they addressed him with a salute, recognizing him as their superior. "Orders, sir?"

"We're scouting the surrounding forest," Sasuke returned coolly. "Secure the gates and let _no one_ follow us. She's still in the city but if she has any friends on the outside, we're gonna take care of them."

"Yes, sir!" one guard affirmed. "Good luck, sir!"

Sasuke fought the triumphant smirk that threatened, and motioned to Sakura. Thoroughly avoiding suspicion, they charged out of the gates and into the thick, lush forest surrounding the city. He heard Sakura exhale a strangled sigh of relief, and did the same.

She was safe.

For now.

xoxoxo

Phillies win = I want to writewritewrite. I have _so many ideas_ for this and more stories on the way. Absolutely addicted to this shit. Anyway I really love you guys and I appreciate your support so so much. Have a good night! xoxo Daisy Jane


	19. Truth

They rode as fast as their horses would take them.

Sakura was breathless with exhilaration. Adrenaline overrode exhaustion at this point. It felt so good to be doing _something,_ even if what she was doing was borderline suicidal. She wanted to trust Sasuke, and right now, it was her only feasible option.

He rode beside her, silent, his eyes darting left and right as he kept a close watch on their surroundings. She remembered how safe and secure she used to feel in his presence, and wished she could feel that way again. She'd made the decision to follow him, to trust him, but it was easier said than done.

There were so many years between them. Sakura felt much older than sixteen, and knew Sasuke had to feel the same way. Both of them, forced to grow up, forced to become soldiers in a war they inherited. She spurred her horse faster and he did the same, keeping perfect pace.

A few miles down the road, Sasuke motioned for her to head into the forest. This was not his original plan and she looked at him in confusion, but his face was serious; had he sensed trouble?

Sakura steered her horse off the beaten path and into the dense underbrush, fighting the anxiety that gripped her stomach as she did so. What if she'd misread Sasuke's intentions? What if he was leading her right into a trap? What if he was going to kill her himself, or worse: take her back to Orochimaru?

She kept one hand on the reins and the other slid discreetly around the hilt of her sword. She wasn't sure if she had the resolve to kill, let alone the ability, but she needed the reassurance, and gripped her last line of defense tightly.

To her surprise, however, Sasuke slowed his horse to a halt and gestured for her to do the same. She wasn't sure how far they'd ridden, but their horses looked tired, so it must have been far. He dismounted with ease and offered her his hand to help her down.

She hesitated, and he rolled his eyes.

"Put your sword away," he muttered. "If I was going to kill you, I'd've done it already. Quit being annoying."

Sakura's eyes flamed, but against her will, she trusted his words. His attitude was familiar and reassuring, and cautiously, she placed her hand in his and swung her leg back over the side of her horse, landing neatly on the plush grass.

"Where are we?" she asked.

Sasuke turned away from her and began collecting wood for a fire. "The woods," he replied.

That did it.

She marched up to him and grabbed the collar of his cloak, tugging him down to eye level. He dropped the sticks he was carrying and glared at her, but she looked back at him fearlessly.

"I am sick to _death_ of your cryptic attitude," she hissed. "I think I have been a decent sport about all of this so far, _Sasuke-kun,_ and the very least you owe me right now is an answer or two so let me ask you again: _where are we?_"

"Spoiled little brat," Sasuke snapped. He grabbed her wrists and pried her hands off his cloak, but did not release her. "I just saved your life."

"To what point and purpose?" Sakura demanded. "That's still abundantly unclear, isn't it, you traitor? You defy the will of your master, you free me from my prison and claim to be spearheading the revolution that will reinstate me as queen, but why? Why are you doing all of this?"

Tears burned in her eyes. She was so very tired; now that they'd stopped riding, the exhaustion crept up on her and refused to be ignored any longer. She was emotionally and physically drained, and all she wanted was some solid ground to stand on.

Sasuke sighed. He held onto her wrists, the grip tight but not painful, before he murmured, "Because you were right, Sakura."

"I was right? About what?"

He released her and looked up at the stars, so brilliantly bright against the night sky. Sakura watched him warily as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Konoha is my home," he said softly. "I was so blinded by my need for revenge that I forgot that."

Sakura sighed and sank to the grass, her legs folded beneath her, her hood falling back to reveal curtains of satiny pink hair.

"I wanted you to stay," she admitted. "I tried to understand why you left, but I couldn't. Revenge against your brother was never going to bring you happiness. That was all I wanted for you."

He said nothing in response.

"Did it, Sasuke?" she asked, almost gently. The wind ruffled her hair. "Did it bring you happiness?"

"Itachi didn't murder our family for no reason," Sasuke revealed flatly, and Sakura was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't know his reasoning for what he did. Everyone assumed he'd gone mad. I did as well. I never imagined his true motives ran deeper than mere insanity."

"I don't understand, Sasuke."

"I know you don't," he said sharply. His eyes were fiery as he sat on the grass opposite her. His shoulders trembled. "You don't understand because of all the Haruno high court members, you were the _only one_ who didn't know."

"Didn't know what?" she cried. "All these riddles, all these half-truths, what are you trying to say?"

Sasuke's expression was burning as he replied coldly, "The Uchiha were planning a hostile takeover of Konoha. So the court members, your parents included, enlisted the best assassin in their ranks to dispatch them."

Sakura's eyes widened. Her throat constricted. No. _No._

"You mean..."

"Hn. Itachi killed our family on _orders_."

xoxoxo

Sakura burst into tears. Sasuke watched her impassively, gauging her reaction. He'd known from the beginning that Sakura had had no part in the kill order her parents had signed, sentencing his family to death ten years prior. But part of him was relieved to see evidence for himself, that Sakura was in no way involved in the greatest trauma of his life.

"I can't...I can't believe they would...oh, Sasuke, I'm so sorry!"

Her apologies couldn't erase what had happened. He turned away from her, and tried to calm his racing heart. He was unprepared for the feeling of warm, slim arms as they wrapped around his neck, and looked down in shock to see Sakura kneeling before him, hugging him as tightly as she could.

"I didn't know, Sasuke, I swear I didn't," she sobbed, stroking his hair. He fought the urge to close his eyes. Her fingers through his hair felt amazing. She was warm and she smelled wonderful wrapped around him, her hair tickling his chin. "I know it's so late and nowhere near enough but I'm _so sorry._"

Sasuke marveled. Not two minutes ago, Sakura showed every sign of wanting him dead. She made it obvious that she was only trusting him because she had no other choice.

Now, she was wrapped so tightly around him he doubted he'd ever be able to shake her off again, sobbing needless apologies into his ear and stroking his hair. He became extremely aware of the delicate curves of her body pressed so snugly against his own, and a familiar arousal gripped him before he shook it off harshly. Now was not the time for that.

"I know you didn't know," he murmured. "You were never on my list."

"But my parents were," she whispered.

"I left them alive," Sasuke replied. He made no move to return the embrace, but he did not remove her from himself either. "Killing them would have destroyed you, and you were the only blameless member of all of us. The only way to show them the pain they caused me would have been to kill you." She stiffened, before he breathed his next words. "And I could never do that."

She pulled back and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. The childish gesture reminded him so much of the little girl he'd loved that he stared at the ground instead.

"But...I don't understand. Our parents were such good friends. I always thought the Haruno and the Uchiha families were thick as thieves. They talked about marrying us one day, even...why the uprising then?"

"Greed," Sasuke revealed. He didn't like to discuss this, least of all with Sakura, the girl he might have married in another time, but she was an equal player in this same as him. She deserved to know. "My parents wanted one of their sons to rule as king."

"You would have been king," Sakura whispered, "if you'd married me."

"They wanted complete control. They wanted Itachi or me to rule as king, by sole right...not have one of us marry a queen, and become king by default."

"So they stabbed one another in the back. My parents, and yours. How awful. How _terrible._ And to give the order to Itachi, of all people..."

"Itachi betrayed the Uchiha in the end," Sasuke murmured. "He learned of our family's plans. Our father originally ordered him to act as a spy in the military and divulge any weaknesses to the family. Itachi acted instead as a double agent, and fed your parents information about the coup d'etat."

"Why would he do that?" Sakura asked breathlessly. "He was always so devoted to your parents, to you, especially."

"He was devoted to peace more than anything else," Sasuke revealed heavily. "If the Uchiha had gone through with their plans, thousands of lives would have been lost. You would have been murdered, Sakura. Itachi couldn't allow that to happen. He exterminated his own family in the interest of peace."

Silence reigned. Sasuke arranged the wood he'd dropped into a pile and removed a piece of flint from the inside of his boot to ignite a fire. When small but pleasantly-warm flames erupted between them, Sakura spoke again.

"Why were you not killed along with the others, Sasuke?"

He didn't say anything.

"Itachi murdered your parents and every living Uchiha in the police force, down to the last child. All of them, except for you."

"Because he loved me," he murmured. "He knew I had no knowledge of what was being organized. He knew the Harunos wanted me to marry their daughter." He pointedly avoided her eyes. "He arranged it with your parents before the massacre: I was to be taken care of, trained as a soldier like Naruto and the others. I was to marry you when you turned 17. And I was never to know what my father was planning."

"But...if they kept it a secret, then..."

"Itachi wanted me to kill him. To avenge our family name. I was never supposed to find out why he did what he did, and he wanted me to kill him in the end."

"Then how _did _you find out? Who told you the truth?"

Sasuke stiffened and shook his head curtly. Sakura was in enough danger at the moment without knowing the reality of their situation. Orochimaru was not her only enemy, but if he had his way, she would never learn of the other threat to her life.

"Enough," he said quietly.

Sakura seemed to sense that he would not say anymore on the subject, and nodded obediently.

"I won't ask you anymore about that," she promised. "But you said we were going to meet the others, past the bridge. Why are we here instead?"

"In case there was a scout trailing us," he murmured. "I didn't want to disclose the location unless I knew we weren't being followed."

"And are we?"

"No. Get some sleep."

"Can I...can I ask you one more question?"

He regarded her blankly. She looked impossibly lovely framed in the moonlight, the wind stirring lightly through her hair, her eyes shining like stars. Not for the first time, he spurned whatever God there was to tempt him with a creature so divine, before cursing them with circumstances so insurmountable, they could never be with one another, before he nodded.

"Why do you go so far for me?" she whispered. "I am the daughter of the people who murdered your family. Your revenge is here, at your feet...you could kill me now, purify your family name and dispose of the one surviving link to your tragedy. Yet you claim to want to restore me to the throne...you risk your life for mine. Why, Sasuke? What are you so desperate for?"

Sasuke stoked the fire and sighed heavily, before a smirk ghosted across his lips.

"Maybe I think we could use a queen like you back home."

The blindingly beautiful smile that blossomed on her face, Sasuke realized, was worth every single hardship he'd endured since his return. For the first time since they were children, he was confident he had her trust.

xoxoxo

**note..** Gone for a minute on this one, huh. Not a lot of action, but that'll change soon. Holla at meeeee! Love you.


	20. Safe

Sasuke did not sleep for a moment that night.

His extensive training with Orochimaru ensured that, above all else, Sasuke was observant. Nothing escaped his attention; his eyes missed nothing, and he did not require much sleep to function at his optimum strength.

Needless to say, tonight, as the sole defender of the most important person in the rebellion, he would not allow himself so much as a second of rest.

Sakura, for her part, fell asleep instantly, and he understood. She had been through an impossibly trying ordeal over the past several weeks, not to mention the daring, dangerous escape they'd engineered that night. She was curled up beneath Suigetsu's stolen cloak, remarkably unfussy for a princess at having to lay on the ground.

He suspected that she would have preferred this, though, to whatever she'd endured at Orochimaru's hands.

The thought made his grip around his sword tighten, and he entertained a rather graphic fantasy about the inevitable moment when he separated Orochimaru's head from his body. He knew that it was unwise to address the matter on a personal level, that he needed to keep clear-headed and calm, but if he was being honest with himself, Orochimaru's crimes against Konoha, despicable as they were, were secondary to the horrors he'd inflicted on Sakura.

Sasuke stoked the fire and watched the flames crawling higher and higher towards the sky. The forest they were camped out in was dense with trees, the canopy blocking out the sky overhead. Their horses dozed nearby. It was silent except for the wood crackling in the fire, and Sakura's quiet breathing.

She'd been devastated to learn of his family's tragedy, and her family's responsibility for it. But rather than feel some marginal satisfaction, he felt guilty. Sakura had had nothing to do with the Haruno's betrayal, and his revealing the truth of it to her so soon after the murders of her parents seemed callous even by his standards. While King and Queen Haruno represented the monsters who'd sentenced his entire family to death to him, to Sakura, they were her parents, and she loved them.

He could certainly empathize with that, considering that his own parents, whom he'd loved with all his heart and trusted completely, plotted a betrayal of their own. The only difference was that the Harunos had succeeded.

Sasuke could admit to himself that he was not sorry that the king and queen were dead. He was somewhat relieved that the task of executing them had not fallen on his shoulders, because it would have destroyed his connection to Sakura. He would have made himself her greatest enemy, and after enduring days of her mistrust and anger, he could acknowledge that it was not an experience he was dying to relive.

The fact that they were slaughtered by Orochimaru, however, had united he and Sakura against the usurper. In a perverse, deplorable way, Sasuke was almost grateful to Orochimaru for that.

He regretted that Sakura had been hurt so terribly, however.

She stirred in her sleep, and he stiffened, black eyes snapping to her face; rather than wake, however, she merely snuggled deeper beneath the stifling cloak and drifted off again. Sasuke felt his eyes soften, and not for the first time, he was thankful that she had escaped from the palace with her life.

At dawn, they would make for the rebel camp. Once he knew she was safe, he could return to the palace, lay a false trail for Orochimaru and continue to learn what he could of Orochimaru's plans.

It would make destroying him all the easier.

xoxoxo

Sakura felt pressure on her shoulder, and sleepily opened her eyes to find Sasuke kneeling over her.

"Wake up," he said quietly. His voice was neither harsh nor gentle, and she was struck by his handsomeness so early in the morning. His hair was messy but not sleep-tousled, and there was no lingering grogginess in his eyes. It was as though he hadn't slept a wink the entire night. "We need to move out."

Realizing she probably looked stupid laying there and staring at him, Sakura remembered the importance of this day, and rose quickly. Today, she would be reunited with her aunt, and the other rebels. The thought was so beautiful that she promptly banished all lingering traces of sleepiness, and smiled up at Sasuke to show readiness.

"How far are we from the rebel camp?" she asked, as he helped her back onto her horse, even though she could have done it herself.

"Ten miles. But we're looping around, in case any scouts are on our trail." He mounted his horse skillfully and drew his sword. "Before we go...I want your word."

Sakura looked at him inquisitively, not certain what he was talking about, but after all he'd done for her, she could promise him anything, right?

"If I tell you to run...you leave me. Understand?"

"What?" Sakura gasped. "But...but we _must_ stay together! Sasuke-"

"No." His voice was sharp, his eyes piercing. "Sakura you said you would trust me."

"But-"

"If I tell you to leave, you must leave. Do you not understand how important this is? The rebellion's success or failure is entirely reliant on _you._"

"It's not-"

"I'm a pawn in this," Sasuke said harshly. "Expendable. But you're the queen."

Sakura wanted to argue, but realized her motivations were selfish. She did not want to be separated from Sasuke so soon after reuniting with him, but he was right. If she was to overthrow Orochimaru and reclaim her throne, she could not cow to her childish desires and risk the lives of everyone involved in the precarious revolution.

Slowly, she nodded, and at Sasuke's raised eyebrow, she replied, "Very well. You have my word, Sasuke."

He seemed content with that, and murmured, "Then let's go, Princess."

Obeying, she put up her hood again and kicked her horse lightly in the sides and followed Sasuke out of the clearing, back into the dense forest, just as the sun peeked over the horizon.

xoxoxo

"What's taking them so long?" Naruto's voice was impatient, worried, as he paced back and forth. His best friends were risking their lives while he was forced to remain idle, and no word had yet arrived from Sasuke. He would not be contained for much longer. "They should be here by now. Why aren't they here yet?"

"They might have run into trouble," Shikamaru said calmly. "But the far likelier option is that he's taking a roundabout route, in case there are any straggling palace guards tracking their movements."

The message had arrived from Yamanaka Inoichi, passed via hawk to his daughter at the camp: Orochimaru was trying to cover it up, but the princess had escaped. Moments after being sold to Captain Hozuki, she had overpowered him and outrun the palace guards, vanishing into the night. No one had seen her since.

Tsunade's instructions to Sasuke were clear. Should Sakura manage to escape on her own, it was his assignment to make sure she was delivered to the rebel camp within 24 hours. Any longer, and she would be presumed dead. That they had heard nothing yet was ominous.

The mood was grim at the gloomy camp. Even with the arrival of King Gaara and his siblings Temari and Kankurou, his advisors, the notion that the princess they were fighting so hard to reinstate might be dead cast a dark pall over the group. Not much was said, besides Naruto incessant raving and various, half-hearted attempts to quiet him down.

Dawn broke. No word from Sasuke or Sakura. They could only pray that they were on their way.

No one wanted to consider the alternative.

xoxoxo

Orochimaru stared blankly at the chandelier hanging in the throne room. It was centuries old, impeccably crafted, beautifully maintained. A priceless family heirloom, no doubt. But it held no interest for him, as he contemplated instead how Sakura could have escaped.

She had thwarted the captain of his guards, who was being brutally punished in the dungeons for his utter failure to keep track of one weak little girl. She had outmaneuvered every single one of his soldiers and remained completely hidden, even now that morning had broken.

Sasuke was in pursuit. That was his one comfort, his trump card; no one could outrun Uchiha Sasuke, least of all the girl.

He'd underestimated her.

"Sasuke-kun has not yet returned," came the oily voice of Kabuto, as he bowed before Orochimaru to offer his report. "And the soldiers...there's no sign of her, master. They've searched through the night...they await further instruction."

Orochimaru was not impressed.

"I rather thought my orders were clear," he said coldly. "Their inability to obey them is the problem, not the clarity of my instruction. We underestimated the girl, Kabuto-kun...let us hope we are not overestimating Sasuke-kun. Should he disappoint me..." He adopted a sneer, his curled lips reflected in the glass of the chandelier hanging overhead. "...let's just say that the princess won't be the only one to suffer my..._displeasure._"

xoxoxo

They rode with hell on their heels, and Sasuke kept one eye straight ahead and the other on his companion.

She had to be tired; only a few hours of sleep after what she had been through seemed unfair, maybe cruel, but they had no choice. The sooner they made it to the rebel camp, the better; the longer they remained isolated, exposed in the wilderness, the greater chance they stood of one of Orochimaru's men finding them.

As of now, his secret was safe, and he could continue to live in the palace, resuming his role as spy, and this time, knowing that Sakura was safe and sound with her loyal subjects and protectors. Separated from her, perhaps he would be free of the emotional connection he held with her, the tenuous love that existed for her. She was a distraction of the best kind, he noted, watching as she rode with determination, uncaring of her pink hair streaming messily behind her.

Perhaps, when they were separated, he would be able to focus entirely on his assignments.

His thoughts were interrupted then, by the snap of a branch a few meters away. His eyes narrowed, as he realized that they weren't alone.

Someone had caught their scent.

"Damn it," he swore violently, swinging his horse around so he rode on Sakura's left instead, blocking her and her horse with his body as he drew his sword. "Sakura...go east! Six miles till you reach camp, you understand?"

Sasuke knew precisely how much she did not want to be separated from him, and the thought soothed him as much as it unnerved him. He would have to find these scouts and kill them, and he could not risk allowing her to be recaptured at the same time.

Nor did he want her to see what horrific things he could be capable of, with the right incentive.

But to Sakura's credit, she kept her word. She locked eyes with him and said sharply, "You come find us when you can. That's an _order,_ Captain."

Sasuke could have smirked, hearing her offer him a promotion, and he raised two fingers to acknowledge her and watched her ride away. He gripped his sword tightly and, content that she was following his orders, took off in pursuit of the scouts.

They would be the first to taste his retribution.

xoxoxo

Leaving Sasuke felt immoral. Scandalous. Borderline inconceivable.

But she made a promise, and she had to remember that she and Sasuke were not the only players in this game. He knew far more of the revolution than she did, despite being the figurehead, and he'd proven himself in her eyes: his word was to be trusted, even if she reviled his orders.

She had to have faith that he knew what he was doing.

"Come on!" she urged her horse, glancing behind her at every turn to make sure she was not being followed. Leading an Oto scout into the rebel encampment would be devastating, and she would kill them herself before allowing any harm to befall what remained of her loyal subjects. "Come on, faster!"

The whizzing of an arrow by her hair made her gasp, and she looked around her wildly to see a rider dressed all in black, bow drawn as he followed her on his gray stallion.

_Oh, no!_ she thought. _There must have been more than one Oto soldier...unless..._

But she refused to even consider the possibility that Sasuke had been defeated by their pursuers. Dwelling on such a horrific scenario would not help anything now, so she spurred her horse even faster and wished with her whole body she had a bow of her own.

No one could rival the princess's accuracy.

Another arrow was fired, this one grazing her arm. The sting came late, and she hissed but ignored it, as the footfalls of the stallion behind her drew even closer. She kept her hood up, and her only prayer was that whoever was charging her hadn't yet recognized her. Still wearing Suigetsu's clothing, she could pass for an Oto soldier, and-

Her heart leaped as she realized what was happening. She was not being pursued by an Oto soldier.

She was being pursued by a Konoha loyalist.

_I came too close to their camp!_ she thought wildly. _They think I'm a scout!_

Her only chance was to reveal herself, before whoever was firing shots at her finally made their mark. What a tragedy it would be, to come so close only to be slain by friendly fire!

Steeling herself, she dismounted from her horse midstride and landed hard on her side. She winced, but didn't have time to recover, as whoever was chasing her dismounted as well, grabbed her by the front of her cloak and hauled her up to her feet.

"Who are you?" a familiar voice demanded harshly, as her hood was ripped away, and curtains of thick pink hair tumbled down her back and betrayed her identity instantly. There was a gasp and she was quickly released.

"S-Sakura?"

She blinked up at her would-be assassin, and immediately burst into tears of joy.

"Naruto!" she wailed.

She'd done it. She'd found the rebel camp. Sasuke had saved her life, delivered her safely into the hands of the loyalists. Sinking into Naruto's arms in relief and joy, she sent up a wild, desperate prayer for his own salvation.

_Thank you, Sasuke,_ she thought. _Thank you._

xoxoxo

Sasuke dragged his sword from the chest cavity of the soldier he'd just slain. He wiped the residual blood apathetically on his trousers and sheathed the blade, eyeing the five scouts he'd killed without any remorse. His eyes narrowed as he looked instead to the west, where, he knew, miles away, Orochimaru sat in a throne he did not own.

_I'm coming for you, Orochimaru,_ he thought fiercely. _I'm coming...and you're next._

END PART ONE

**note..** Gone forever on this one! Sorry about that, got swept up in Horizon and got stumped up on Catch You Later and probably taking down and revising One Last Chance, which is giving me fits. Anyway, hope you like this latest installment...action and angsty SasuSaku romance coming up! (I won't make you wait forever this time.) Love you guys!


	21. Camp

PART TWO

* * *

><p>They were overjoyed to see her, the ragtag band of loyalists. Sakura was reunited with her friends, with Ino, who sobbingly embraced her, with Shikamaru and Kiba and the rest. Kakashi smiling proudly at her, and King Gaara and his siblings from the kingdom of Suna welcomed her happily. Tsunade shoved her way to the middle of the group, blonde hair flying, eyes wide. "MOVE!" she bellowed, and Sakura barely had time to lift her head before she was pulled into a hug so tight, she thought her ribs might bruise.<p>

"Auntie!" she exclaimed, in a mixture of joy and sorrow, because this eccentric, powerful woman was her only surviving relative. Tears leaked from her eyes as she clung almost desperately to Tsunade, and when she felt moisture gathering on the shoulder of her cloak, she knew Tsunade was crying as well.

"Oi, baachan, Sakura-chan's hurt!" Naruto yelled, effectively shattering the touching moment between aunt and niece. "I didn't mean to, I got her on the arm with my arrow."

"WHAT?" Tsunade thundered, pulling back to examine the shallow cut on Sakura's arm.

"It's nothing," Sakura insisted quickly. She recognized the storm brewing in Tsunade's furious eyes, and knew she had to cut it off immediately, before it erupted into a full-scale tornado of rage. "I was riding with my hood up, Auntie, and he mistook me for an Oto scout."

"Come with me," she said sharply, grabbing her beloved niece by the unwounded arm. "Let's get you cleaned up. We will discuss our next move this afternoon...in the meantime, you stupid monkey," she added to Naruto, who looked terrified, "I will think of a suitable punishment for the little _fool_ who attacks his queen!"

xoxoxo

Sasuke rode back to occupied Konoha with haste. He would need to make this next part convincing.

Sakura's quick thinking during her captivity led Orochimaru to believe that there were traitors inside his walls. Sasuke's plan was to continue with that line of thought, incriminating various members of Orochimaru's household with false evidence. That way, not only would Orochimaru be consumed with suspicion for his loyal supporters, he could also implicate his highest ranking soldiers while avoiding suspicion himself.

He was admitted back into the palace instantly with little more than an intimidating glare towards the interim captain of the guards, a beastly-looking man named Udon. Apparently, Suigetsu was indisposed, and part of him was bitterly grateful; Sasuke did not forget what Suigetsu aimed to do the night before with Sakura. He should consider himself lucky that he was dealing only with Orochimaru's wrath, instead of Sasuke's.

He reached the throne room and addressed Orochimaru. "Report."

"Bad news, isn't it, Sasuke-kun?" the king surmised with a raised eyebrow.

"She got away," Sasuke said, managing to sound angry about it instead of relieved. "She was helped."

"By whom?" Orochimaru demanded. "There are none loyal to sweet Sakura-chan, none that have not already been done away with..."

Sasuke thought of the rapidly-growing band of revolutionaries and begged to differ.

"Who helped her? There's no way she could have escaped without the assistance of someone very powerful..."

"I killed them," Sasuke revealed. He then named the scouts he'd mercilessly slaughtered, and Orochimaru's eyes were wide. "They were taking her North." Another lie. "I managed to kill them, but she'd disappeared into the forest."

"Resourceful little thing," Orochimaru murmured, stroking his chin in thought. "The forest is so thick and dense that she would be most difficult to track down, even by you, Sasuke-kun."

"Doesn't make a difference," Sasuke replied, his voice cool and collected. "She won't last more than three days in the forest. And like you said...everyone who might help her is dead or in prison."

"So you would have me abandon my search for her."

"Tch. I don't care. Just seems like a waste of time, since all you're gonna find of her is her corpse. She was unarmed when I lost her."

Orochimaru chuckled and sat back down on his stolen throne. "Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun. In the end, you've so very much to learn from your old master. I want Sakura-chan alive. You see, dead to me, especially when it is not by my hand, she can continue to serve as the spark, the catalyst to a rebellion great enough to challenge my reign. In life or in death, if she is not controlled, she represents the so-called Will of Fire these Konohans set such store by. Do you understand?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You've already got control of her kingdom," he muttered disinterestedly, all the way cataloguing this entire conversation, to communicate to the rebels later on. "Anyone loyal to her's dead or in jail. You commandeered the entire economy and the city's in lockdown. Wasting anymore time on her is-"

"You will bring her to me _alive,_ Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru interrupted. "She is my prisoner and will remain so, until I choose to snap her pretty neck." Sasuke inwardly seethed, but betrayed no outward reaction. "We have any risks for rebellion under control for now, but should Sakura-chan find someone willing to restore her to the throne? Let's just say I will not be so merciful with her as I was the first time.

"Bring her to me, Sasuke-kun. You have three days. Prepare a retrieval team if you wish...I want her alive."

Sasuke weighed his options.

Like hell would he return Sakura to this palace until she was ready to take back her rightful throne. But three days gave him plenty of time to strategize with the rebels, before coming back here to gather more intel. Besides, he needed to be certain that Sakura had reached the rebel camp safely.

"Tch," he scoffed, like it was the biggest inconvenience in the world. "I don't need a retrieval team. I'll bring her back. Or whatever's left of her."

With that, he turned his back on Orochimaru, but was stopped by his former master clearing his throat.

"I rather require her presence at an execution."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows.

"I thought you wanted her alive," he said, his heart racing; had Orochimaru decided to kill Sakura? Eliminate one of the last claimants to the throne?

Orochimaru chuckled. "I do. I want her alive to witness the execution of her friend...a woman named Hyuuga Tenten."

Sasuke did not allow a flicker of recognition to cross his face. Inside, he was sick. _He knows she married Hyuuga Neji,_ he thought. _And he knows she's friends with Sakura._

"She was caught en route to the palace dungeons during Sakura-chan's brief imprisonment there," Orochimaru continued conversationally, tapping his fingers on the cedar armrest. "Presumably, to feed our slippery little prisoner. During interrogation, she revealed her name to be Hyuuga Tenten, the wife of Clan Head Neji, who vanished during the occupation."

_What else?_ thought Sasuke, almost panicking. _What else did she say?_

Had interrogation compelled Tenten to divulge the existence of the rebellion?

"Forgive me, I should have said 'widow' of Hyuuga Neji. Regrettably, she claims, he was killed attempting to flee the city the night of the invasion."

The fear in Sasuke's heart abated slightly, but only slightly. There was no telling anymore how much Orochimaru knew.

xoxoxo

Clouds had gathered above the thick canopy of trees, when Sakura emerged from her bath in the river, looking clean and a thousand times better. Her wound was patched up effortlessly, and dressed in one of Ino's borrowed dresses, she looked more like a princess than she'd felt in weeks.

Tsunade saw her approaching and smiled.

"I'm certain you have a thousand questions," she said, stroking her niece's damp pink hair fondly.

"More like a million," Sakura replied.

"Come." Tsunade gestured to her tent, the largest of all the ones gathered in the makeshift camp. "What I have to tell you, and what you have to tell me, is private, for now. You've been through a lot."

Sakura nodded gratefully and followed her aunt into the tent. It was sparsely furnished, with a sleeping roll in the corner, along with a rickety wooden table upon which rested charts and maps and complex diagrams drawn by shaky hands.

"The beginnings of a revolution are small," Tsunade said with a grin, in regards to the dilapidated living space.

Sakura reached for one of the maps, and raised her eyebrows. "Is this..."

"...the southeast trade route into and out of Oto," Tsunade replied. "The rest are the same, from all directions."

"Then..."

"Not the most original of ideas, considering we stole it from Orochimaru himself." Tsunade looked pleased with herself. "But to take back what is ours..."

"You're going to invade Oto?" Sakura gasped.

"Indeed. We will choke off their resources until he is forced to surrender Konoha."

"It will never work," Sakura said automatically.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at her niece.

"Assuming we had the capability to invade Oto," Sakura continued doubtfully, "Orochimaru would not loosen his hold on Konoha. He is not the type to be swayed by loyalties; that he is king of Oto means as little to him as our people do. He will leave Oto to burn. On top of that, he will increase hostilities against the survivors back in Konoha, perhaps kill them all in retribution. This is not a game we can play with Orochimaru, he is too ruthless."

"You're as clever as you always were, little one, but you underestimate your own rebellion. And how could you not, when you know so little about it!"

"Then enlighten me." Despite her happiness at seeing her beloved aunt again, Sakura was growing restless and increasingly frustrated. She was embarrassingly ignorant about the very revolution she was supposed to be leading, and she hated being left in the dark.

"We have spies in the palace, behind the walls of Konoha, feeding us information. We have the entire nation of Suna rallying in support of the Konoha loyalists. And let us not forget the fact that we are not the only kingdom to suffer Orochimaru's wrath; he has made many, many enemies in the other kingdoms that, we are hoping, will lend us a hand in eradicating him once and for all. Orochimaru's forces are great in number, but what we lack in size, we make up for in skill.

"Don't forget: we have a very, _very_ powerful ally in Uchiha Sasuke." At the mention of his name, Sakura flinched, her focus suddenly elsewhere. "Do not underestimate his importance here, Sakura. He knows Orochimaru better than even I, his childhood friend, could ever hope to. How else do you think he kept you safe these past few weeks?"

Sakura said nothing.

"You cannot imagine how difficult it was for him," Tsunade said softly, "keeping up his facades. The auction, especially."

"He told me about his family," Sakura whispered. She looked up at Tsunade with eyes full of tears, and even though she was supposed to be acting general of a powerful revolutionary army, she felt like a little girl in a dress that was too big, playing a game that was too difficult for her to learn. "Auntie...please tell me you didn't know. Please tell me you weren't involved."

"I learned much later," Tsunade said regretfully, her tone heavy, and Sakura was relieved. "Had I known...I would have done everything in my power to convince your parents otherwise. The Uchiha _were_ planning a coup, but the order of execution came before the matter could be settled diplomatically."

"They ordered _Itachi_ to do it," Sakura said sorrowfully. "My own _parents..._they had him kill his entire family! But whatever happened to Itachi?"

Tsunade sighed. "The rumors say he was hunted down and slain by Sasuke."

Sakura gasped. "He didn't tell me that!"

"They are only rumors, Sakura. Do not lose your head. If Sasuke did not tell you what happened, he must have had a very important reason."

"How am I to trust him, then?" Sakura demanded angrily, her hands clenched into fists. "Every mystery solved gives birth to ten more, and every time I think I might have a grasp on what's happening..."

"Itachi's exact whereabouts are currently unknown, if he is living. Sasuke's mission is what's keeping this rebellion afloat...he guaranteed your survival, if not your overall safety, while at the palace, and saw to it that you were delivered to us. I trust him," Tsunade finished simply, and Sakura knew her aunt would not say something so lightly. "And you should as well."

Sakura _was_ grateful to Sasuke; he saved her, made sure she found her way to the rebel camp, protected her at great personal risk. But if he kept these secrets from her...

What else was he hiding?

"Excuse me, Your Highnesses," a voice called from outside.

"Enter," called Tsunade, without taking her eyes off Sakura's conflicted face.

It was Shikaku. He bowed quickly to both the princess and her dowager aunt before saying, "Report: Uchiha has reached camp."

Sakura's eyes widened and she jumped to her feet, along with Tsunade, who looked alarmed.

"Already? He was to remain at the palace to gain intel...why is he here so soon?"

Both women followed Shikaku through the cluster of tents to the fireside, where everyone was gathered around Sasuke, demanding news from the palace. Neji, especially, looked distressed as he pressed for information on his pregnant wife Tenten, whom Sakura suddenly realized was not present among the camp.

_She must still be at the palace!_ she thought, worriedly. She hadn't seen her friend since her incarceration in the dungeons. Had she been caught sneaking food to Orochimaru's spoil of war?

Sasuke stood in the middle looking irritated, but when he saw her, his expression softened almost in relief, perhaps to match her own.

He was alive.

"Uchiha," thundered Tsunade. "What are you doing here so soon? Your orders were to remain at the palace."

"I was sent to recapture her," Sasuke replied, pointing to Sakura, who felt something of a thrill when Sasuke's eyes snapped to her face. She blushed. "I was given three days to bring her alive, back to the palace."

"Like hell _that's_ happening!" laughed Naruto, and even Sasuke smirked, but Tsunade did not look amused.

"I see. And what will you tell Orochimaru in three days' time, when you return to the palace empty-handed? His main motivation is to capture and control Sakura to destroy the morale of any possible loyalists. If you do not return her to him, his retribution will be swift and severe."

"I have no intention of taking her back to Orochimaru," Sasuke said sharply, his tone almost severe. "I am going to stage her death instead...I will have him believe that she is dead to throw him off her scent."

"Good idea, Uchiha!" Kiba piped up. "Just like he thinks the old lady," meaning Tsunade, "is dead! She'll be safe, then!"

Sakura, however, spotted a million holes in this plan, but she was so happy to see Sasuke alive and well that she decided not to voice them. Instead, she cleared her throat, and everyone fell silent.

"I would like to speak with you, if you don't mind," she said to Sasuke softly, politely, but there was the underlying hint of authority that would make her an excellent queen. "Alone."

His eyes searched her face almost suspiciously, but he recognized an order when he heard one. And even if he reviled authority, Sasuke also respected it. From the right people, of course.

"Yes, Princess," he muttered, and he followed her past the others, through the underbrush to Tsunade's empty tent. Once they were alone, Sakura shut the flap and looked up at him expectantly.

"Sasuke...where is Tenten?"

xoxoxo

Sasuke regarded Sakura, who was clean and dressed in a light cotton gown that looked to be too big for her tiny frame; she was looking up at him expectantly through stormy green eyes, and her long pink hair was curly as it tumbled down her back in thick, shiny waves. Despite the urgency in her expression, he could not deny how beautiful he found her to be.

"I know you know," Sakura said sharply. "Tell me the truth. She's been arrested, hasn't she."

He hesitated before replying. "Aa."

"She was caught, then," Sakura whispered. "She brought me food when I was in prison...I knew it, I knew she would be caught, this is all my fault! What does Orochimaru plan to do with her?"

There was no point in lying.

"He's going to execute her. Three days' time."

Sakura's eyes were wide and she clapped her hands to her mouth in horror.

"He wants you there for it," Sasuke muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets and leaning against one of the wooden beams keeping the tent standing. "As a punishment for escaping."

"Then I'll go," Sakura said immediately, and Sasuke snorted derisively with a shake of his head.

"Not happening," he said coolly. There was less chance of Orochimaru peacefully surrendering the kingdom of Konoha than there was of Sakura returning.

"Sasuke-"

"Don't be stupid. You're not going back there. I'll go. With Hyuuga."

"You just made it here!" Sakura hissed angrily. "You're supposed to be hunting me down, what could your excuse be, should Orochimaru see you in Konoha trying to free someone on death row?"

"He won't see me," scoffed Sasuke, rolling his eyes. Sakura, for all her grace and beauty and bravery, was as stubborn as she always was, and twice as annoying. "But your hair sticks out like a sore thumb."

She bristled angrily at his slight, and he was almost amused. Some things never changed, including Sakura's eternal stress over her unique hair.

Just having her here with him relaxed him marginally. She was safe for now, and healthy enough to pick arguments with him and stress him out, which was a good sign. After so many days in the palace, full of anxiety on her behalf, it was refreshing to see her here, unharmed and surrounded by hundreds of people who would sooner die than see her hurt.

"You're tired," Sakura observed, jerking him out of his thoughts. She looked up at him searchingly, and noted the dark circles under his eyes that betrayed his exhaustion. "You didn't sleep last night, did you?"

He rolled his eyes and didn't answer. Of course he hadn't slept. He was guarding the most infuriating, most important person in the world, after all.

"Lay down," she ordered.

"Quit bossing me around," he snapped.

"I gave you a promotion this morning, didn't I, Captain Uchiha?" Sasuke's shoulders stiffened when he caught the coy smirk on her face, the way she batted her eyelashes in would-be innocence. She was _teasing _him. The back of his neck heated up almost immediately. "Don't you think you should show some gratitude?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he bent down to stare directly into her eyes, and he was pleased to see the way her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of scarlet.

"You're even more annoying now than you used to be," he informed her softly, smirking as her eyes narrowed in dislike, and he made for the bedroll she was directing him to.

"Oh, um, Sasuke..."

He turned back around, and saw that her irritated expression was replaced with one of awkwardness. She looked up at him shyly, before she smiled and whispered, "I'm glad you made it back here safely."

Sasuke couldn't think, not when she looked so lovely, that happy little smile tilting her pretty pink lips and her expression fond as she went to leave. "I'll wake you in a few hours," she told him on the way out. "We have much to discuss."

Sasuke didn't answer, and she disappeared.

He could ignore the nagging of his exhaustion no longer, and no sooner had he rested his head on the pillow had he fallen asleep.

xoxoxo

Sakura, content that Sasuke was safe in slumber, headed immediately for the horses.

This was suicide, yes. She was endangering not only herself, but the very existence of the rebellion.

But she had faced Orochimaru's torture once before, and she could do so again, without divulging the secrets of the revolution. In fact, under some of the severest methods his minions could inflict, she'd managed to lay a dozen false trails for Orochimaru that he'd blindly trusted, thinking that the threat of a little pain could compel her to betray the ones she loved most.

Sasuke would be furious, she knew. After all he'd risked to bring her to the camp safely...

But Sakura's resolve was steel.

She would not allow Tenten to die on her behalf. The woman was pregnant, married, and one of Sakura's closest friends. She had buried enough of her loved ones this year.

She selected Sasuke's horse, the darker, faster stallion, and mounted it easily. But not before grabbing a quiver of arrows from the armory tent, and a sleek bow she fitted neatly to the cloak on her back.

She was going to save her friend.

Or she was going to die trying.

xoxoxo

**note..** Only reason I'm here updating everything and not partying with my friends is because I HAVE THE PLAGUE. Actually just really bad sunburn. But REGARDLESS. Here you are.

I'd show y'alls my bitchingass wedding dress but links don't work. So just picture the most beautiful dress in existence. And it comes kind of close. ONE MORE WEEK BEFORE I BECOME MY FLY-ASS (someday) LAWYER'S BITCH WIFE HOLLAAAAA. Doctor and lawyer. MAKIN DAT BANK. Hire me! Love you.

xo Dr. Mrs. Daisy.


	22. Rescue

The skies overhead were deep, gunmetal gray and promised rain. Sakura wondered if that would hamper her mission or help it; heavy rain made it difficult to see, which meant she might avoid being spotted by the Oto guards entirely.

Or, she could blindly walk right into custody.

She didn't have the time or inclination to consider all the ways what she was doing could possibly go wrong, however. Her horse's lightning-fast footfalls on the thick underbrush anchored her to reality. Plunging headlong back the way she'd come, right into the line of fire without Sasuke to protect her, she focused exclusively on Tenten, one friend she desperately hoped she could save.

_She saved me,_ she thought urgently. _If she hadn't helped me in the dungeons…I'd've starved or dehydrated to death. And this is all my fault! Tenten I swear I'll get you out of there! I already lost my parents, and so many of my friends…I swear I won't lose you, too!_

She spurred her horse on faster as the first few drops of rain began to fall.

xoxoxo

Tenten rested her hand reassuringly across her still-flat stomach, biting her lip in anguish.

They were keeping her in Sakura's cell. It was awful, a terrible place to be, dark and empty and cold. She was hungry, which meant her baby was hungry, and the bruises on her face and arms throbbed every time she moved. How Sakura had spent a week here, when she was only inside for a few hours, was beyond her.

But Tenten didn't have anyone to sneak her food and water.

_They're going to kill me,_ she thought, the certainty of such an outcome terrifying. _I know they are. But they'll use me to try and smoke out Sakura. And if Sasuke got her back to Tsunade and the others, and she's safe…then maybe this is worth it._

Maybe her life was a small price to pay, to ensure that her loved ones would survive. She'd managed to convince the interrogators that her husband Neji was killed during the invasion, when she knew him to be safe and sound with the rebellion; as long as he kept his head down, they had no reason to doubt her. So he was safe.

But the child inside her was an unexpected development.

Giving her one life for the cause was one thing. But sacrificing the life of a child she already loved seemed like a price too steep to pay.

But what could she do? Politely ask Orochimaru to keep her alive long enough to deliver the baby, and kill her when it was over?

She rubbed her stomach again, silently apologizing to the baby for the lack of food. Already she was shaping up to be a terrible mother; no wonder Neji hid their marriage from the rest of his family. She was the matriarch of the Hyuuga Clan, but she'd gotten herself pregnant, arrested, and sentenced to death all within a few months of her wedding.

_Forgive me, Neji,_ she thought bitterly, resting her head on the icy stones behind her. _Because I don't think I'll be able to forgive myself._

xoxoxo

She pulled her horse to a stop a mile outside of Konoha. It was suicide to ride through the gates; she'd be ripped from the saddle and decapitated instantly. Or worse: taken back to Orochimaru alive. No, she had a plan on reentering the city, one not even Sasuke had thought of.

Sakura had to admit she felt far more confident now, with a quiver full of arrows strapped to her back, than she had during her flight from Konoha.

Swords were heavy and difficult for her to handle, because she hadn't received training like Sasuke, Naruto, and the others. But a bow was easy to maneuver, and she never, ever missed her mark. Years of practicing and extremely good eyesight ensured that with a bow, Sakura was every bit as deadly as Sasuke was with a sword.

But would any of that matter, if she lacked the necessary resolution to shoot to kill?

This was war, though. She kept reminding herself that even if she was only sixteen, and a healer by nature, none of that would matter when there was a sword to her throat. And soldiers were born every day, even unlikely ones in pretty, too-big dresses like hers.

It wouldn't matter if she wanted to kill someone or not. Sooner or later, she would have to.

_I'd like to start with Orochimaru,_ she thought savagely, making her way stealthily through the trees towards the river. _But I suppose I can settle for one of his supporters all the same._

Priority one had to be rescuing Tenten. It was a selfish, selfish mission, one that she knew she would be punished for if she made it back to camp in one piece, but the idea of losing another friend to this horrible war was out of the question. She would rather die than live with the knowledge that Tenten died for her sake.

She kept her hood up to conceal her pink hair, heavy rain soaking her to the bone, but that didn't bother her much; not where her plan was concerned anyway.

She had a very good idea how to get back inside Konoha without anyone noticing.

Running with Sasuke outside the palace where she'd been kept, she'd gotten a very good idea where the weak spots in Orochimaru's defense were. He had men positioned at every entrance and exit to Konoha, surrounding the palace and in the streets. But the river, winding peacefully through Konoha to its mouth at the sea, was woefully neglected; Orochimaru thought foolishly that anyone trying to break in or out of Konoha would be caught before reaching the water.

He hadn't counted on someone like Sakura, who knew the city of Konoha like the back of her hand, risking her life and the existence of an entire revolution to get back inside the very place she'd escaped. Orochimaru's lack of empathy or compassion would no doubt be his undoing. Sakura would make sure of that.

She made the journey quickly, praying the rain would wash away the footprints she was leaving in the mud along the riverbank. It was about a half-mile swim from one side to the other; through the thick fog and heavy rain, she could make out the bridge she'd hid under waiting for Sasuke. Beyond that, she squinted to see guards running through the streets, barking orders at one another, and over the sound of the downpour, she heard their heavy boots and the clanging metal of their swords.

She crouched down among the bushes to catch her breath. She would need to be at full strength for the swim across. While she collected herself, she reached for a small branch of bamboo growing along the riverside, snapping it from its berth.

To think that a childhood game would come in handy like this. Sakura could have smiled, if not for the adrenaline rushing through her veins and the stark reality of what she was planning a terrifying prospect. She'd invented this game with Naruto and Sasuke as children. They would break off bamboo shoots, stick the hollowed pieces in their mouths and jump into the water; keeping one end of the shoots above the surface of the water, they could breathe under the surface. It was child's play.

And now, it was the princess's ticket back into her own city.

Of course, once she got to the other side, she had not one clue how to proceed. But she was good at thinking on her feet, and she'd come too far to go back now.

Praying to have the strength to do this, she bit one end of the bamboo shoot, looked around to make sure she hadn't been spotted, and allowed herself to sink into the river.

xoxoxo

Sasuke woke to the sound of shouts outside his tent.

He'd only slept for a few hours and wasn't nearly rested enough, but years of intense training, and he learned a long time ago to pull himself together at a moment's notice. He rose from the bedroll in seconds, sword drawn, and stormed out of the tent to see what the commotion was.

Neji was being forcibly restrained by Naruto and Shikamaru. He was almost foaming at the mouth, shouting and screaming, and when he saw Sasuke emerge, he threw both men off of him and was in front of Sasuke in seconds.

"WHERE THE HELL IS SHE?" he demanded, seizing the front of Sasuke's shirt and shaking it, light eyes wild. He looked deranged. "I've waited long enough for news, where is my wife?!"

Sasuke tried to keep himself calm and collected. He knew firsthand the frustration and fear Neji was experiencing. It was a curse to know that, as a man, you were safe while the woman you loved was in danger, and there was almost nothing you could do about it. He gritted his teeth together while Neji shook him like a madman.

"Neji!" Tsunade said sharply, rushing to the confrontation with her long blonde hair streaming behind her. Kakashi was right at her side, watching the scene warily. "Release him. I understand your fear, but…"

"But nothing!" Neji spat, unable to be reached in his worry. "The princess has been returned to us safely, but there is no word of my wife! My wife, who is risking her life to act as a spy, while the rest of us cower in this…this refugee camp like rats! I want _information,_ Uchiha!"

Sasuke glanced at Tsunade briefly. Should he tell Neji the truth? That Tenten was arrested, and due to be executed in three days because of her intervention on Sakura's behalf?

He knew the terrible things a man could be capable of with the right motivation. His trousers were still soaked with the blood of the Oto scouts who'd foolishly tried to apprehend Sakura that morning.

Neji was a valuable ally. If he rushed back to Konoha to try and save his wife, he would be killed on sight. They couldn't afford to lose him this early in the game.

"N-Neji," Hinata whispered. "We m-m-must have f-f-faith in T-Tenten. Please, calm y-yourself."

"I want to hear it from the princess!" Neji shouted, shoving Sasuke out of the way. "I want to hear it from her mouth if my wife died to save her!"

"Hyuuga," Sasuke snapped, as Neji charged into the tent he'd just vacated, only to rush out a moment later.

"Where the hell is she, Uchiha?" he demanded. "I want to hear her tell me what ha-"

"She's not there?" Tsunade interrupted, alarmed. "But…where is she, then?"

Sasuke's eyes widened. How could he have been so stupid? To trust that Sakura wouldn't react negatively to the news about Tenten? To allow her to disarm him so, with a teasing smile and the promise of a place to rest his head?

"Damn it," he swore. "Naruto. Inuzuka. Nara. Get to the horses!"

"Sakura?" Ino sounded horrified, even as the others sprung into action. "You don't think she…"

"We're not done here!" Neji bellowed. His sword was drawn, and the expression on his face promised murder. "I want _answers,_ Uchiha!"

Sasuke had absolutely no time for that. Even if he empathized with Neji's situation, he couldn't possibly tolerate it now, with the reality of what Sakura was doing pressing at the forefront of his mind. Knowing he wouldn't regret this, he swung his arm around and caught Neji in the side of the head; he collapsed to the ground in a dead faint, and didn't rise.

"Neji!" exclaimed Hinata, dropping to his side. "S-Sasuke…what…"

"When he wakes up, restrain him," Sasuke ordered, drawing his sword. "In the state he's in, he would only be a burden."

"She's gone back to the palace, hasn't she?" Tsunade looked distraught. "Foolish, _foolish_ girl…it's for Tenten, right?"

"She was arrested," Sasuke explained curtly. "She's scheduled to be hanged in three days. I made the mistake of telling Sakura."

"She blames herself, then," Tsunade whispered. "Tenten was arrested for sneaking her food while she was imprisoned. Damn it, how could we have let her out of our sight, knowing what kind of person she is?"

"Come on, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, already on his horse as the rainclouds reached the valley. It was a mark of the severity of the situation, that he was using Sasuke's proper name instead of a childish insult. "We gotta get back to Konoha!"

Sasuke nodded shortly, and saw that his horse was missing. She must have taken it, the fastest horse in their stables, to gain as much ground as quickly as possible. She was irritatingly strategic, for such a foolish, self-sacrificing girl.

"Ride like hell," was his curt instruction to Naruto, Kiba, and Shikamaru, once he'd mounted another horse. "And kill anyone who stands in your way."

xoxoxo

Her heavy cloak made it difficult to swim, but Sakura kept at it anyway. She would need something to disguise herself with when she reached the other side. Her hair was a dead giveaway. If she'd been thinking before she left camp, she would have dyed it with ink. She cursed its unusual color and forced herself to keep going.

She could breathe through the bamboo shoot, but it was a slow, frustrating venture. To keep inconspicuous, she had to make sure the shoot wasn't bobbing too obviously above the surface, which meant more often than not, the top end dipped underwater. She was inhaling tons of water as a result, and couldn't afford to surface yet to clear her lungs. Her dress and cloak were weighing her down. To think, such a game had been fun years ago.

It was almost twenty minutes later when her hands touched the smooth, slippery rocks along the opposite shoreline. She'd made it across the river; now the question would be how to surface without being seen. With the rain so heavy above her, she couldn't make out much through the cloudy water. If she climbed out prematurely, she could walk straight into a group of guards.

And she couldn't save Tenten if she was dead.

_Get to the bridge,_ she thought. _It's covered, so it won't be impossible to see to the surface._

The bridge was several hundred yards ahead. Frustrated with her slow pace but determined not to be caught until she was sure Tenten was safe, she felt along the rock wall, the shoot in her mouth bobbing like a cork above the surface as she swam clumsily towards the bridge.

It was slow progress, all the more intimidating because she was literally inches from enemy hands, and she couldn't see where she was going. Her eyes burned with the strain of being open underwater for so long, and the river, once clean and healthy, was filthy with the pollution her enemies had brought with them from Oto. Furious with the invasion all over again, because many of the citizens were dependent on the river for clean water, she swam with renewed vigor, and realized she was under the bridge when the heavy rainfall stopped.

Cautious, Sakura pulled herself above the surface with a silent but desperate gasp for air. She could breathe underwater with the bamboo in her mouth, but she wasn't taking in the proper amount of oxygen and her lungs were straining as a result. She resisted the instinct to cough some of the water out of her airway, because she didn't know who might be watching, but a quick look around her revealed that none of the guards were stationed here.

_They think I escaped,_ she thought, somewhat smugly. _Orochimaru probably dispatched most of them to find me._

She pulled herself onto the riverbank, concealed by the shadows of the bridge, and took a moment to catch her breath. She hid her face in her cloak to suppress the sound of her heavy coughing, spitting out dirty water into the soaked fabric of her dress. She'd done it. She'd made it back into Konoha.

Her eyes turned almost reluctantly to the palace in the distance, its beauty diminished by the overabundance of Oto guards and Orochimaru's sinister presence, and she prayed for the strength to continue.

For Tenten, she had to keep going. For Tenten, she had to survive.

Even if Sasuke would kill her himself when this was all over.

* * *

><p><strong>some notes, y'all.<strong> A) Gone for awhile, huh? I'd apologize but this is a hobby, you know. Not my job. And it's getting a bit frustrating, hearing people tell me all the time how I need to be faster at this. When you start paying my rent, I'll make sure you get your chapters in a timely manner. UGH. Yuck. So I appreciate your patience, and I pinkyswear I won't take as long next time.

B) I've been getting PMs (ordering) warning me not to make this about rape. And if you've read anything I've ever written or know the first thing about me, it's that I take that shit seriously. I would never write a rape-tastic story because they're ignorant, insensitive, and catered to people of the lowest intelligence. Always. So rest assured: never gonna happen with me.

C) I lovelovelove you. Because you all tolerate my temper and I know I have a temper and I get frustrated with the Internet. I appreciate every single one of you reading this stupid shit that goes through my head, and I'm delighted when you like what you read. For serious. I love you.

Make sure you watch the debate on Tuesday, beautifuls. Especially you 18-and-older Americans. VOTE. I am a one-woman political campaign.

How'd I do?

Have a good one!

xoxo DAY-ZEE.


	23. The Highest Bidder

The whipmarks seared into his back had him taking in shuddering gasps of air. His breath released in puffs in the frigid dungeon, and for the first time in his life, Hozuki Suigetsu found himself reevaluating his life.

_I didn't sign on for this,_ he thought, straining against the pain.

It wasn't a fierce loyalty to Orochimaru, or to Oto for that matter, that kept Suigetsu in the tyrant's employ. Rather, it was Suigetsu's shallow personal creed: his allegiance, sold to the highest bidder.

In fairness, this belief kept him alive. Successful, even, given his young years. He enjoyed a good fight, the thrill of beating out a worthy adversary. Orochimaru kept him comfortable in a position of power, and gave him free rein with Oto political prisoners and a decent salary. And seeing how easily Oto conquered Konoha, Suigetsu knew he was fighting on the right side.

That is, until a pint-sized little princess got the jump on him. _Humiliated_ him. He'd been removed as Captain instantly. Orochimaru was most displeased with him.

Meaning, he was no longer the highest bidder.

"Quit moving around so much," a quiet, feminine voice murmured from the darkness. He froze, wishing beyond anything that he had his sword with him. There was someone else here?

"Who's there?" he demanded, his voice weak as he strained against his injuries.

"Someone who's displeased Orochimaru nearly as much as you have," replied the woman from a cell further down the corridor. There was no mistaking the bitter amusement in her voice. "And I'm telling you to stop moving around. You'll tear the skin even further."

"Are you Oto's, or Konoha's?"

"Does it matter anymore?" She chuckled. "In this dungeon, we are the same, aren't we? Prisoners, with time limits on our heads. And Suigetsu, our time is running out."

"How do you know my name?" he demanded, as her words hit something close to home inside him. He already knew he was living on borrowed time, having failed Orochimaru so badly. It was only a matter of when the mad king would order him hanged.

"I know quite a bit about you, considering you were willing to shell out a year's salary for the chance to sleep with me."

Suigetsu froze and, ignoring the girl's warning not to move around so much, was on his feet in an instant, hands wrapped around the bars as he made out the shadowy silhouette of his unexpected visitor.

"_You!_" he hissed, eyes wide in shock.

* * *

><p>"Me," replied Sakura firmly, fearlessly. Even if Suigetsu was technically an enemy, and he'd shown absolutely no regard for her safety or life before now, she had to be brave, and trust her instincts. It was the only thing that could save Tenten. "And you could shout for the other guards all you like," she added quickly, when Suigetsu showed every sign of wanting to point out her infiltration, "but we both know they aren't listening. I've been down here, too, remember?"<p>

Suigetsu hesitated, his silver-white hair filthy, his shirt torn and shredded along with the skin off his back. Irrationally, she felt compassion for his suffering. Perhaps that wasn't the right word, compassion; empathy, maybe. Her own back still ached, the scars from the whipmaster permanent on her skin. It was a barbaric thing to endure.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. "I thought you escaped."

"I did," she revealed, deciding to keep Sasuke's role in her miraculous flight a secret until she knew she could trust him. "And I'm willing to help you escape as well."

"What's the catch? What do I have to gain from helping the Konoha princess, huh? I'm already on Orochimaru's blacklist, in case you didn't know. You got me in a ton of trouble earlier, Princess."

"Level with me, Suigetsu," she said, keeping her voice casual as she studied him. "You're not really in this for Oto, are you."

"'Course I'm not," he replied easily, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and maybe to him, it was. "Orochimaru just had the best offer."

"Hm. And what was that."

"Well the money's good," he replied, a sharp grin stealing across his features through the pained grimace he'd been wearing. "And I get to carve up as many people as I like. It pays, to be Orochimaru's golden boy."

"Clearly," Sakura replied dryly, gesturing to the Oto Captain's less-than-auspicious dwelling.

"Well, I'm not the golden boy anymore, but that's my problem to deal with, not yours. What the hell are you doing here, huh? What's your angle?"

She sighed.

"I need to break another prisoner out of Konoha," she revealed. "Her name is Tenten, she's a Konoha loyalist."

"I know who she is, you think I don't? She's that girl who got caught sneaking food to you. Red in your ledger, huh, Princess?"

"Exactly. I need to save her. We need to break out of Konoha without being noticed by Orochimaru or any of the other guards."

"And you think _I _can help you?" he laughed. "Look at where I am, Princess."

"I can get you out of here," Sakura informed him. At his skeptical look, she held up a ring of keys. "Remember, I have successfully managed to flee from the strongest of Orochimaru's guards, leave Konoha, return, and sneak back into my own palace, even when it is so heavily guarded. There are many secrets about Konoha, secrets that invaders like your fellow soldiers in Oto could never be privy to, secrets that I know." She thought of the sewer she'd snuck through to get back inside the palace. "And with this key…I believe _I_ am now the highest bidder."

Suigetsu raised his eyebrows, looking thoughtful and doubtful all at once.

"What makes you so sure," he said slowly, "that I won't arrest you the second you unlock that door? It'd be my coup de grace, wouldn't it? Recapturing the princess who got me thrown down here in the first place."

"You and I both know Orochimaru doesn't give second chances," Sakura returned immediately. "Nothing you do could possibly redeem your failure in his eyes. You've made him look weak by allowing me to escape. I'm offering you a chance to join a side, Suigetsu. The winning side."

He folded his arms and chuckled. "I bid on you at the auction. I won you. I know you can't have liked that too much. I'm supposed to believe you're just gonna let me loose, trust me to help you out? If you're so good at sneaking in and out of the palace, what do you need _me_ for?"

"Protection."

"Please. You kicked my ass without so much as breaking a sweat. You don't need me."

"No, I don't, but my friend does." Sakura jerked her thumb down the corridor. "There's a woman being kept down here like you. One of my friends, and allies. And while I'm gifted with a bow, I don't pretend to be a skilled combatant, should we run into trouble from your old allies. She's in a delicate condition."

Suigetsu started laughing. Given her insane proposition, she couldn't blame him.

"Okay, okay, just let me get this straight. You got me sent down here, right? Okay. So now you sneak back into the very jail you broke out of, and you want me, the Captain of Orochimaru's guards, to help you and your pregnant friend escape for a second time? You're _crazy._"

She smirked. "Crazy, yes. But it's me, or the hangman's noose. Your choice. You've got information on Orochimaru, and I want it. You want to live past tonight, and I can make it happen for you. It's not a tough decision for someone like you."

"Well, you know me, sweetheart," Suigetsu snickered. "The prize of the highest bidder, and all that. You got yourself a deal."

"And I feel like I should mention this also," Sakura said seriously. "If you are successful in securing our escape out of Konoha, I will pardon any and all offenses you have committed against Konoha when I am reinstated. You will be honored as a hero among my people when we reclaim our city."

Suigetsu raised his eyebrows. "All right, all right, I already agreed, didn't I? You've got guts, Princess. But I think there's something you don't know."

Sakura frowned. "What's that?"

"That girl you want to save. Tenten? She's supposed to be hanged in three days. But after you broke out…Orochimaru moved the date up."

Sakura gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "No, she's…"

"We've got about an hour. So if you want to save her, we better move quickly."

If Sasuke knew what she was doing, the bargain she was striking with someone who twenty four hours ago would have willingly violated her against her will, he would have her committed to an asylum. She could only imagine his terrible, terrible anger when he saw her again, but if she saved Tenten, and by extension, Tenten's unborn child, surely it would be worth it.

With that, she slid the key in the lock and turned.

* * *

><p>Tenten rubbed her starving stomach, passing what few moments remained by thinking up a baby name for her child.<p>

Though she would never get a chance to meet the tiny being that grew inside her, she spent her final minutes imagining what it would be when it grew up. She imagined a little boy with dark hair and the light eyes of her husband's family, serious just like Neji but playful like her. She knew, without needing to see this magic baby, that she would have loved him more than the world.

She already did.

But she did not regret the choices she had made thus far. She was a handmaiden of the Haruno household and her actions, wrought with heavy consequences as they were, resulted in the emancipation of the princess to the rest of the rebels. Neji was alive, as far as she knew, and that was really all she could hope to ask for.

_I wish I could have met you,_ she thought to her baby, her fingers trembling over the still-flat planes of her stomach. _I'm sorry for all of this. I wish you could have seen Konoha the way I did, before all this madness. It was beautiful. I know you would have been beautiful, too._

Footsteps were approaching. She heard the people gathered in the Square; apparently Orochimaru wanted to make a spectacle out of her execution, to discourage people from doing as she had done, and assisting the princess. She would serve as an example as to what happened to those who defied Oto reign.

_I'm sorry, baby,_ she thought sadly. _I'm so sorry. It'll be over soon._

"Come out here, you," one of the soldiers growled, seizing her arm and leading her from the prisoner carriage into the pouring rain. She winced, her muscles tight and sore after so much inactivity, and stumbled along as he dragged her up to the executioner's block.

There were nearly as many people gathered in the Square for her execution as there were for Orochimaru's coronation. Bizarrely, Tenten was morbidly flattered as the executioner positioned her on the trap door underneath the rope. The noose was wrapped around her throat and tightened.

She bit her lip, her final thoughts a desperate plea for forgiveness from Neji. _I failed you,_ she thought in sadness. _I failed you and now you'll never know our child. Please, Neji. Take care, and forgive me._

Kabuto and Orochimaru were on the platform with her, both of them speaking to the crowd, but she didn't listen to a word they said. She drowned everything out except thoughts of her unborn child, and murmured a silent litany of apologies to the innocent life she'd failed so badly.

_It's almost over. I'm so sorry. I love you._

"…hung by the neck until dead," she registered Kabuto faintly. The executioner tightened the noose around her neck. This was it. "Be done with this traitor."

Two things happened in the next second.

The executioner threw the switch for the trap door as ordered. She fell, the rope tightening even further, and she prepared herself for the inevitable moment when her neck would snap, and darkness would consume her…

But it never came.

Instead, from a place she couldn't see through the intense rainfall, a lone arrow split the stormy sky, slicing cleanly through the rope that bound her to the block. She collapsed through the trap door, landing neatly in someone's waiting arms.

Eyes wide with shock, she registered the smirking face of the Oto captain, who caught her effortlessly. "No time to explain, lady," he said. "I'm on orders from the princess to get you outta here…and I gotta listen to the highest bidder."

* * *

><p>Sakura exhaled sharply in relief; her arrow made its mark exactly where she wanted it to. Severing the rope that would have broken Tenten's neck one second before it did its job. She fell through the trap door into Suigetsu's arms; in the rain and the confusion, no one knew exactly what to do. It was up to her newest ally to get her to the sewers before the guards realized what had happened.<p>

From her perch on the crest of the hill, overlooking the Square, she had a clear mark on both Kabuto _and_ Orochimaru. She could easily dispatch them both, with her expert marksmanship. The idea was tempting, and through the rain that soaked her through her dress, she drew another arrow and pointed it at Orochimaru's head. The bastard was shocked that someone had botched his execution, and all of the Oto assembly was in an uproar, trying and failing to find the one who had fired the arrow.

At the last second, though, she hesitated. Killing Orochimaru and Kabuto right now, when they still had so much support, would be useless. Oto still controlled Konoha for the time being, and their retribution on her people would be horrific if she assassinated their leaders so early in the revolution.

_Be smart about this,_ she thought harshly, returning her arrow to its quiver. _You didn't come back here to end the invasion; you came back to save Tenten. You gave your orders to Suigetsu, now follow them yourself!_

With that, before anyone could follow the trajectory of the arrow and find her, she took off down the other side of the hill towards the river.

* * *

><p>Suigetsu couldn't resist chuckling to himself as he swam towards the other side of the river, a bamboo shoot in his mouth so he could breathe underwater. Two girls swam with him, the Konoha princess and a Konoha loyalist, and as of now, the only two friends in the world that he had.<p>

Not twenty four hours ago, he'd been the darling of Orochimaru's Oto guard. He'd been the claimant of Princess Sakura as a sexual prisoner and one of her greatest enemies.

But that was before she cast the winning bid for his loyalty.

These Konoha brats had gumption, he would give them that. When she spoke about reclaiming her throne, Sakura spoke with certainty, like it was a foregone conclusion. She had faith in something, to be sure, and she carried herself with confidence, like there was a zero percent chance she would fail in taking back her city.

It was impossible not to feel some kind of security with that, even if he knew firsthand the might of Orochimaru's troops, and what an insurmountable force they were.

At the very least, placing his allegiance with Sakura and the Konoha rebels would make life interesting.

His feet touched muddy shore, and he realized he'd reached the other side of the river. Quickly, he broke to the surface, spitting out his bamboo shoot and climbing up the riverbank. He looked behind him and saw Sakura and Tenten do the same thing.

"Let's go!" Sakura called over the roar of the storm. "If we don't hurry, they'll catch up to us, we need to find Sasuke and the others!"

"Sasuke?" Suigetsu echoed, jaw dropping. "You mean…the whole time…he's been on _your_ side? What the hell else don't I know?"

"Now's not the time for this!" Sakura snapped. "What you need to know is that Sasuke will _kill you_ unless I speak on your behalf, so I suggest you shut your mouth and follow me. If he sees you before I explain what's happened, then Orochimaru's wrath will be the last thing you have to worry about."

Suigetsu shivered, and regretted his actions the previous night all the more. He'd bid on Sasuke's girl. Uchiha Sasuke. At a whore's auction.

He was dead.

* * *

><p><strong>note..<strong> hey, y'all. remember this one? maybe not. hope so, though.

so suigetsu switched sides. i like suigetsu. i think he doesn't particularly care who he's fighting for as long as he gets a chance to fight, and sakura's too badass not to realize that about him. no sasuke this chapter. but i promise he'll show up next time, and i think you might like it when he does ;)

anyway. thank you to those of you who stand by this story even when i take my sweet time working on it. love you.

xoxo daisy :)


	24. Scars and Loyalty

Sasuke fully expected to arrive back at the Konoha River, having to fish Sakura's lifeless body out of the water.

He did not expect her to run towards his rescue team, flanked by the woman she had rushed into danger to save, and the man who'd almost killed her the night before.

"Sasuke!" Sakura gasped, skidding to a halt.

He was off his horse in seconds. Clearly, Suigetsu had apprehended Sakura and Tenten sneaking out of Konoha. Remembering how much money the bastard had pledged for the right to sleep with Sakura, Sasuke knew he would enjoy this. He drew his sword and advanced on Suigetsu, intent on spilling his guts all over the muddy earth.

"Sasuke, wait, don't!" Sakura shouted, waving frantically at him.

"Yeah, wait a second, listen to her!" Suigetsu insisted, backing away, but Naruto and Kiba wrestled him to the ground. "Hang on, you're making a mistake! I'm here on her orders!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he pinned Sakura with a fierce glare. She held her ground, however, and hissed, "Now is not the time to have this discussion. Suigetsu is not to be harmed, he assisted in our escape. We need to flee, before they catch up to us."

"Princess," he growled out, but she wasn't listening.

"That's an _order,_ Captain!" she snapped. "Release him, Naruto, Kiba! And head for the rebel camp, immediately!"

They both uneasily released Suigetsu; Tenten merely shrugged, and the unlikely group made their way stealthily through the forest back the way they had come. Sasuke's horse, stolen by Sakura, was waiting for them a mile away.

"We'll make better time if we ride," Sasuke said quietly, menacingly. He mounted his recovered horse quickly, then held out his hand to Sakura to join him. She bit her lip before allowing him to pull her up, while Tenten shared a mount with Kiba, and Suigetsu took the spare. "Quickly!"

They took a roundabout route to throw off any possible Oto scouts, but arrived safely back at camp just as the rain let up. Everyone was in a frenzy, none more so than Neji, who took one look at a rescued Tenten and almost broke down in sobs.

"You're…you're all right," he choked, stroking her face almost hungrily. "I thought…they said you were…"

"I'm fine," Tenten said softly. "Thanks to Princess Sakura."

"And me, I helped!" Suigetsu piped up, to general astonishment, seconds before Sasuke had him pinned up against a tree in a chokehold. His sword pressed menacingly against his former comrade's throat.

"I'll tear you _apart,_" he promised, and raised his arm to do just that when Sakura flung herself forward, her hands flying around Sasuke's bicep.

"_Lower your sword, Captain!_" she snarled, in so queenly a tone that he almost forgot his anger with her.

"What's going on here?" a booming female voice demanded, and they looked up to see that Tsunade had arrived on the scene. "SAKURA!" she shouted, half-relieved, half-furious as she threw her arms around her niece. "You _stupid little girl,_ if you _ever_ pull a stunt like that _again…_"

"Auntie!" Sakura exclaimed, hugging her back. "There's much to explain, but _Captain,_ he is not to be harmed! He's our information, do you understand me?"

Sasuke was literally shaking with rage, but he knew that to openly defy Sakura, no matter how dim-witted her orders were, was insubordination, and the last thing she needed was her captain undermining her authority in front of everyone. Furious, he sheathed his sword and barked out, "Uzumaki, Hyuuga, Inuzuka…take this worthless sack of shit to the prisoner's tent. _Find out what he knows._"

"I'm going as well," Tsunade said harshly. "I'd quite like to see why my foolish young niece is protecting Orochimaru's prized captain."

With that, Naruto, Neji, and Kiba dragged Suigetsu away from the scene, with Tsunade following behind. Sakura didn't so much as glance around at Sasuke as she took off into her tent. Gritting his teeth, he stormed in right after her.

* * *

><p>"You must be either completely foolish, or completely mad to have done what you did tonight," Sasuke hissed.<p>

She flinched, but held her ground. "I couldn't leave her, Sasuke," she whispered. "She…she was only in trouble because of me."

He looked almost frightening in his anger as he paced back and forth in their tent, one hand on the hilt of his sword, the other on the sheath like he half-expected someone to rush inside and attack. He was damp from the rain, still, and for a moment she was distracted from his fury as she watched rainwater slip from his hair down the slope of his cut jaw.

Did he have to be so handsome? Did he have to look so much like the boy from her past that she almost wanted to cry?

"Are you even listening to me?" he demanded, and her eyes snapped back to his, a blush unfolding on her face. "Sakura you could've been _killed._ What is any of this for – any of us doing this – if you get yourself killed going off half-cocked?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed. She could understand Sasuke's irritation to an extent, but he wasn't her father; he had no right to snap at her like she was a child.

Apparently he sensed the shift in her mood, and changed tack. Losing none of the menace in his eyes, he concentrated a neglible amount of respect into his voice and murmured, "Think next time. I would've gotten Tenten out of there on my own. There was no need to risk your neck like that. You're too valuable to this operation, Princess."

She sighed, knowing in her heart that Sasuke was right, but she did not regret what she had done. She'd rescued a beloved friend _and_ recruited an ally from an enemy. Suigetsu was currently being interrogated by some of the other rebels, and she had no doubt he would leak information like a sieve.

"My actions were reckless," she conceded.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Bending so quickly, Princess? Normally you'd fight me for hours."

"I didn't say you were right and I was wrong," she reminded him with a sniff, kneeling before a medical supply chest and rummaging for bandages and ointment. "I merely admitted that what I did was reckless."

"You'll never learn. What are you looking for in there?"

"Salve," she replied lightly. "For Suigetsu's wounds. He hasn't been treated yet."

"You want to treat _Suigetsu?_ Do you have _any_ idea what he would have been willing to do to you?!"

"Things have _changed,_ Sasuke. I can't risk him contracting an infection with his injuries. He'll be of no use to us then."

"He's of no use to us _now,_ in case you've forgotten that he's one of the _enemy._"

"He _is_ of use!" Sakura snapped, finally losing her temper with Sasuke and his overbearing need to boss her around, like he knew so much better. "You know that what I did, dangerous as it may have been, was the right thing to do. Suigetsu's loyalty isn't to Orochimaru, you give him far too much credit. His loyalty, at the moment, is to the rebellion, because we can offer him substantially more than Orochimaru can nowadays. And he knows more of Orochimaru's plans than you and I."

She gathered the supplies in her arms and slipped into a pair of boots to protect her feet from the muddy earth. Before she reached the flap to leave the tent, however, Sasuke's voice, suddenly soft and gentle, stopped her.

"And what of _your_ wounds, Princess?"

She paused. In reality, she'd thought very little of the injuries she'd sustained at the palace. At the time, it had all seemed so inconsequential, a few cuts and bruises compared to the way her people were suffering. And since then, everything had passed by so quickly, she hadn't had much time to pay attention to herself. Now that Sasuke mentioned it, the marks on her back twinged dully.

"They're treated," she replied curtly.

"Then let me see them."

She felt a warm hand on her shoulder, callused fingers brushing lightly against her skin, and she nearly shivered. She knew that to even entertain the thought of her attraction to Sasuke Uchiha was absolute madness at such a time, but her body betrayed her and she leaned slightly into his touch. If he noticed, he said nothing.

"They're nothing but scars," she murmured. "Not worth showing."

Sasuke didn't say anything. Instead, he gently brushed her long pink hair aside, over one shoulder, and tugged the back of her dress down so part of her back was exposed. Just imagining the ghastly mess that Orochimaru's whip had made of her skin made her cringe, and she could only picture how revolted Sasuke would be to see it all for himself.

She felt fingertips ghost light as air over the marks, and her stomach tightened in response. She was suddenly more than aware of the intimacy of such a moment, just the two of them alone in a cramped but cozy tent. Their proximity to the simple mat on the floor was stiflingly close, and not for the first time did Sakura find herself imagining where else Sasuke's hands could wander.

Nonetheless, she remained completely still, like a statue, her arms locked around the medicinal supplies she was collecting for Suigetsu on the other side of camp, while Sasuke gingerly traced the path of one of the angry red whipmarks on her back with his fingers. Outside the rain beat a gentle cadence onto the fabric of their tent, the sound as numbing and soporific as Sasuke's presence, and she found herself closing her eyes, almost _enjoying_ this bizarre scenario…

Abruptly, he released the collar of her dress and it snapped back into place, hiding her scarred back from view. She felt him pull away like he'd been stung, and looked up at him in confusion before seeing the naked revulsion on his face. Her stomach sank. Like she'd expected, Sasuke was repulsed by her scars.

"You should rest," he murmured, removing the medical supplies from her arms and replacing them in the chest at the foot of her mat. "I need to speak with Suigetsu first."

It was a useless thing to upset herself over, Sasuke's disgust with her ruined back, especially at a time like this, but she couldn't help herself. Princesses were supposed to conduct themselves with grace and civility at all times, preserve their beauty; but now, thanks to her imprisonment, she was scarred for life and Sasuke, clearly, was revolted by it.

Her mood rapidly soured. Her elation at rescuing Tenten was melting away, and the same profound melancholy that had haunted her in the filthy prison cells at the Konoha palace was returning with startling speed. Still, she hadn't properly mourned her parents, her beloved citizens…the fate of the Uchiha Clan, and her own family's role in their destruction…what she was going to do next, to recover Konoha from Oto and Orochimaru…

Such a silly thing to be embarrassed about, something as trivial as a few scars, when there was so much more to do, so many people relying on her to be strong.

"Get some sleep, Princess," Sasuke murmured, pushing the flap aside and passing through it without so much as another word.

* * *

><p>Guilt tore at his stomach as he made his way across the busy rebel camp towards Suigetsu and his interrogation. He barely looked up at the others hard at work sharpening their weapons, or drawing up battle plans, or stoking small fires in the drizzling rain. All he could see in his fearsome black eyes were the angry scarlet marks tearing across Sakura's back.<p>

Reminders, permanent reminders, of his failure to protect her.

_I did the right thing,_ he thought coldly, storming like a thundercloud through camp. _Standing by during the coronation ceremony…I couldn't have stopped it, not without blowing my cover. And because I didn't, now Orochimaru still trusts me. I can learn more and more about him, until I'm ready to destroy him, because I held my ground. Sakura is fine now. She's safe. The ends justify the means._

He tried to ice his heart over about this matter, but he knew that where the princess was concerned, no amount of logic would ameliorate his guilt at standing down while she was tortured. Remembering the sounds, the screams, Orochimaru's sick, delighted laughter, the cheering of the Oto citizens in the crowd, all of it made him sick with rage. Knowing that the right thing had been done didn't make this feel any less _wrong._

And now Sakura would carry those marks for the rest of her life, the only blight to her immense beauty, and it was all Sasuke's fault.

_I don't deserve to look at her,_ he thought fiercely, furious with himself for the entire confrontation in her tent. _Let alone touch her. But I couldn't stop myself. I CAN'T stop myself._

Scars and all, Sakura was hauntingly, frighteningly, awe-inspiringly beautiful. Coupled with his intense, lifetime love for her, being in any kind of close proximity with her was becoming sheer torture. He couldn't deny that he wanted her, despite knowing that he'd blown any chance of that years and years ago. Her skin beneath his hands, the satin of her hair slipping between his fingers…stormy green eyes that kept him awake at night…

He grit his teeth against his hurricane of an attraction, and threw open the flap to the tent they were keeping Suigetsu in with unnecessary force. His disgust with himself ignited his infamous anger, and he did not envy the pain in Suigetsu's future.

* * *

><p>"I know you don't trust me," Suigetsu said, eyeing Sasuke's sword nervously. He was plenty bruised already, from Naruto and Neji's interrogation. Tenten's incarceration had made Neji in particular much more ruthless than usual. "But…just hear me out."<p>

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't open your throat," Sasuke snarled, raising his sword as if to do just that.

"You know my loyalty isn't to Orochimaru, it never was," Suigetsu said hurriedly. "I only did it 'cuz the pay was good and they let me hurt people for a living. If I had had a better gig, I'd've taken it somewhere else."

"So this is the 'best gig,' huh, you jerk?" Naruto demanded, lifting him up by the collar of his shirt. His arms, chained fast to the chair he was sitting in, stretched painfully and he winced. "And what happens, huh? If something else better comes along? You gonna stab _us_ in the back, too?"

"I have information!" Suigetsu said desperately, as Sasuke drew ever closer, his bloodthirst almost palpable in the prisoner's tent. "Anything you want to know, I can tell you! I would never have helped Sakura…"

"_Princess Sakura_ to _you,_ you slime," Neji snarled, his faith in the princess restored after her role in saving his wife from the gallows.

"_Princess_ Sakura, fine, whatever…look, I never would've helped her out if I was planning to stab her in the back. She saved me from that pit…you know Orochimaru, Uchiha. You know that once you fuck up with him, there _are_ no second chances. Nothing I could do would redeem me in his eyes. Once I let her escape, my life in Oto was over. She saved me, too, same as that kitchen broad."

Sasuke yanked Neji's arm back as he made a move to attack Suigetsu again. "Both of you, get out of here," he said harshly, to both Neji and Naruto. To the former, he added, "I'd thank Sakura again, if I were you. Stupid or not, your wife's alive because of her."

When he was alone with Suigetsu in the tent, he wasted no time in pressing the sword to his throat. Suigetsu's violet eyes screwed shut in fear, and Sasuke would be lying if he said there wasn't something truly delicious about this moment. The man who'd 'bought' Princess Sakura, who'd harmed her while she was arrested, cowering in fear, completely at his mercy…he could do it right now, and no one would ever blame him. Spill his blood and mete out ruthless retribution.

"Tell me what Orochimaru's planning, and maybe I'll leave you in one piece," he said softly. "Or, you can keep quiet and I'll rip you apart. Want to hear my preference?"

Suigetsu sang like a canary.

* * *

><p>Orochimaru turned the arrow in his hands over and over, examining it from every angle. It was beautiful, silver in color with an elegant plume, the tip deadly sharp.<p>

Whoever had fired it was going to die.

"This lone arrow," he mused to Kabuto, as his faithful lieutenant knelt before him in the throne room, "has caused me immense humiliation. Such a simple thing, solitary and seemingly inconsequential…but with this silly little weapon, someone has wounded the strength of my empire."

"With all due respect, Your Highness," Kabuto said, standing up and facing his king fearlessly, "no one questions your might. Tenten escaping her execution is regrettable, but she, like the rest of her loyal Konoha comrades, will soon be destroyed; it's inevitable."

"You underestimate these people, Kabuto," Orochimaru chuckled, twirling the arrow between his fingers. "Konoha citizens pride themselves on what is known as the Will of Fire. They are a strong, proud, resilient nation with all the passion and strength of fire itself. We have wounded them, yes, and we have, thus far, weakened that fire, but all it takes is a little _spark._ One little spark that can ignite their spirits again, and should they unite behind one cause, one leader, should they pull their resources and present a proper challenge to my armies…one catalyst, and this empire will crumble to ash."

Kabuto was silent, calculating, and Orochimaru added, "It appears that our former Captain Hozuki has escaped as well?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. There was no trace of him in his cell. The lock was tampered with; I have a team of soldiers searching for him as we speak."

"There will be no need to take him alive," Orochimaru decreed. "He has displeased me for the last time. Sasuke will be back among us in two days, hopefully with our meddlesome little friend in tow. I hope he leaves her in one piece, if only so I may break her myself. Should she be discovered by the wrong people, by those troublesome Konoha loyalists…I cannot risk them uniting behind her. You see, my dear Kabuto, the princess is…rather like this arrow."

"How so, Your Highness?" Kabuto asked.

"Beautiful," he answered coolly, "and small and fragile-looking…but when used the right way…_lethal._ She is a catalyst, Kabuto. Whether it be to her benefit or mine is entirely on Sasuke. And I have no doubts that he will return her to me."

"And what makes you so sure you can trust him, Your Highness? Since he's come to stay with us here again, we have lost custody of the princess, our former captain, and one of our prisoners. You don't suppose there is a correlation?"

"Sasuke is loyal to me," Orochimaru insisted, confident in his assertion. "I trained him myself. His quest for vengeance against his brother would be fruitless without my guidance, and he knows that. His personal feelings to me do not matter. Even if he hates me, even if he wants me dead, he knows that I have much left to teach him."

Kabuto hesitated before speaking again. He seemed to choose his words very carefully.

"Have you considered the possibility that Sasuke might be in line with the princess?" he asked.

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow before his lips curled into a smirk. Kabuto was a wonderful asset to have in his employ, most efficient at gathering information on his own, and peerlessly perceptive.

"Do you know something that I should know, my dear?" he asked with a snicker.

"It's mere conjecture," Kabuto said quietly, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "And he may have denied it to me himself, but I have reason to believe that a marriage contract was drawn up for Sasuke and the princess many years ago, by their families."

"I'm afraid that's precious little to go on, Kabuto."

"If I were to produce such a document," he went on incorrigibly, "would you at least acknowledge that Sasuke's loyalties are questionable?"

"Such a document would not prove that my apprentice has any ties to the princess outside of his parents' long-dead idealism," Orochimaru said dismissively. "However…if such a contract _does_ exist, when Sasuke adamantly denied it…"

"I request permission to look into the Uchiha family archives," Kabuto said boldly. "At the very least, it would call into question Sasuke's honesty, should we discover that despite his denials, there were indeed plans to unite him with the princess in marriage."

"If you truly think he is untrustworthy," Orochimaru said, "then learn what you can about the boy and report to me your findings. But seeing how he stood by so callously as she was decrowned, whipped, tortured, starved, and sold at auction…I believe it is safe to say that Sasuke's loyalties – whatever they may be – are not with the princess."

* * *

><p>Late that night, Sasuke sat not in the warmth and comfort of his tent, but under the shade of one of the massive trees concealing their rebel camp from view. Reinforcements from Suna would be arriving in a few days, and then they could go through with the next phase of their plan: invading Oto while its defenses were lowered. It was the last thing Orochimaru would expect, and a <em>brilliant<em> move by Tsunade. Crippling Orochimaru where he thought he was untouchable.

His all-seeing gaze flicked to the green-and-gold tent in the middle of camp. Inside, he knew, Sakura was sleeping soundly, safely, for the first time in a very long time. She was alive. She was okay. She wasn't going to run off again, and he was here to protect her, even if being in her presence ached like nothing else. They were barely friends, barely reconciled, and nowhere near as close as they used to be, back when they were children and could read each other ilke books, but his connection to her was as strong as ever. Being constantly reminded that he could have had her in the ways he could now only fantasize about was excruciating.

He would never have Sakura, even if all along she'd been his. Things were different. Times had changed. _They_ had changed. No matter how much he wanted her, he couldn't have her anymore.

But perhaps to prolong his own agony, perhaps because he simply couldn't resist rubbing salt in his self-inflicted wounds, Sasuke pulled a time-yellowed strip of parchment from inside his cloak. Wrinkled and more than a decade old, weathered by rain and the passage of time, this seemingly-inconsequential slip of paper was more sacred to him than any religious tome. Proof, solid evidence, that once upon a time, Sakura would have been his.

In his hands, Sasuke held the marriage contract signed by King Kizashi and Queen Mebuki, and his own parents Fugaku and Mikoto, dictating that upon Sakura's seventeenth birthday, she and Sasuke would be joined in holy matrimony.

Despite what he'd told Orochimaru – what he'd told Sakura herself – the contract was still valid.

* * *

><p><strong>note..<strong> well hello there, muffins. thanks for being patient with me.

so yeah, i can promise some more sasusaku interaction next chapter, and some action. sasuke has to report back to orochimaru soon, and kabuto's already onto him. any guesses what happens next? (thanks to everyone who's keeping their concrit to themselves, btw. i really do appreciate you giving me a chance to tell my stories the way i want to tell them.)

i love you all very much. hope you're having a good weekend. see you soon!

xoxo Daisy:)


	25. Goodbye

Ino wasted no time at all in throwing her arms around Sakura's neck the second she reached camp.

"You're here," she sobbed, tears soaking into the collar of her borrowed dress. "You stupid, reckless princess, you're here and you're okay. Don't you _ever_ do that to me again!"

Sakura laughed through tears of joy as she clung to her best friend. All around them people chuckled at the warm sight of friends reunited with one another; in the dark and uncertain time they found themselves in, such fleeting happinesses needed to be appreciated.

Sasuke couldn't resist smirking as he watched them chatter animatedly with one another like they weren't hunkered down in a rebel camp in the wilderness. He leaned against a tree, arms folded, his eyes rarely leaving Sakura. Now that she'd proven wily enough to escape his notice, he wasn't about to give her the chance to do it again. She was too important.

To the rebellion, of course, but also to him. And he'd sworn to himself that if Sakura was killed in this ordeal, it would only be because he'd died first.

"So what's your plan, Captain?" a cool female voice asked him, and he glanced to his left to find Tsunade, her eyes on her niece as well. "You're to return to Orochimaru tomorrow morning, correct?"

"Aa," he replied quietly. That would require particular finesse. His mission was simple: to find Sakura and return her to Orochimaru alive. The very idea of what the tyrant would do to her if Sasuke followed his orders made his stomach turn.

"And what do you plan to tell him?"

"My original plan was to tell him I found her body," Sasuke said in response. "But news of her escape spread throughout Konoha. People there cling to the hope that she's alive. It would damage morale for them to believe otherwise."

"So you aim to tell Orochimaru you couldn't find her?"

"Aa."

"Returning emptyhanded? He'd kill you on the spot."

Sasuke scoffed fearlessly. "I can handle myself."

Tsunade turned to him, and he didn't like the knowing light in her clever amber eyes as she pressed, "Can you?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"You'll have to leave her again," she said flatly, nodding towards Sakura, who was now greeting Gaara, prince of Suna, and the army he'd brought with him to help the Konoha rebellion. "To return to Orochimaru."

"What are you implying?" he asked, his eyes narrowing almost dangerously as his heart began to race.

Was he really that transparent?

Tsunade chuckled and folded her arms. "That I think the separation might be the only thing to crack your rock-hard exterior."

"Then you underestimate me," he said coolly. "My loyalty is to Konoha and the revolution – nothing else."

If he disliked the knowing look in her eyes, he _loathed_ her secret smile.

* * *

><p>Gaara, Tsunade, and several other tacticians were holed up in one of the tents discussing strategy. The plan was relatively simple, if not crude: the Konoha rebels, along with their allies in the Suna army, were going to attempt to seize Oto while Orochimaru continued his occupation of Konoha. It was a good idea in theory, but Sasuke had serious doubts. For example, even if Konoha succeeded in taking Oto, Sasuke knew full well that Orochimaru was not one to bend to anyone's authority. If anything, he might take his anger out on the Konoha citizens still kept in the city in retribution.<p>

But he could also admit that without further information about what Orochimaru planned to do next, they really had no better recourse.

He sat on the thin cot in his tent, shirtless against the heat, planning his own moves. It would be beyond difficult to convince Orochimaru that he, the tyrant's best hunter, had let a sixteen-year-old girl slip through his fingers in just three days. He would be displeased, to say the least. It would definitely affect the trust Sasuke had forged between them, and that trust was pretty much his only card left to play.

He needed to learn more from Orochimaru. More about what was coming next. The more information he could feed to the Konoha rebellion, the faster they could take back their city.

The tent flap opened suddenly, and he looked up, expecting to have to yell at Naruto to get out of his tent and stop bothering him, when he saw Sakura instead. She was dressed simply in trousers and a loose-fitting shirt, her hair in a messy braid out of her face, worry written on her finely-cut features.

"Something wrong, Princess?" he asked, suddenly cognizant of the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt. He set down the dagger he'd been sharpening to look at her properly.

"Auntie tells me you're heading back to Konoha in the morning," she said quietly, and he could tell by the furrow of her brow that she didn't like the idea one bit. The thought that she might distress over being separated from him brought him equal amounts consternation and thrill, neither of which he allowed to show on his face.

"Aa. We need more information from Orochimaru. I'm the only one who can get it."

"Suigetsu told us a lot," Sakura returned, her tone almost argumentative. "More than enough. What do you think you're doing, going back there? You'll be killed!"

"That didn't stop you, did it?" he countered. "You did what you thought you had to do, regardless of how stupid it was."

"This isn't a _game,_ Sasuke," she hissed, little hands clenching into little fists at her sides. She was perhaps the least-intimidating creature in the universe, but he knew she was aiming for haughtiness. "He'll kill you the second you step through the gates without me."

"You underestimate me, _Princess._"

"What use can you be if you're _dead?_"

Sasuke was on his feet, frustration guiding his movements; he tossed his dagger carelessly to the ground, blind to how it cut smoothly through the dirt, and stepped towards her.

"It's time you learned your place, and let me take mine," he said softly, narrowed eyes taking in the girlish pout of her lips as she stared up at him fearlessly. "We each have our part to play in this. I have to go back. You have to stay here. That's it."

"Is it so terrible that I _worry_ about you? That I _care_ about what happens to you?"

"This isn't our childhood anymore, Sakura," Sasuke whispered, his attention drawn inexorably to the way her chest filled out the collared shirt she was wearing, the sleeves rolled up several times to show her dainty little hands. She was unfairly, absurdly beautiful and it infuriated him, that she could stand in front of him and tempt him with everything he couldn't have.

And be so _unaware_ of her appeal.

"Your childish desire to keep everyone in your life safe is going to ruin any chance we have of restoring you to the throne and taking back our city," he continued, designing his words to cut. He would never tell her what it meant to him, that she gave two animal shits what happened to him. He would never tell her how _overjoyed_ he was to be able to count herself among the people in her life.

"Risks have to be taken," he went on, "and we're going to lose something, sometime. You can't stop it. You can't save everyone and you can't save _me._ So stay here where you'll be safe. Everyone is counting on you, understand?"

She looked shocked, stricken that he had spoken to her so harshly, and he instantly felt a wave of guilt for making it seem like Sakura was anything less than 100% committed to their cause. He knew that she'd already lost so much in this occupation, and that her compassion was always one of the things he'd loved most about her. But she needed to let go this time, before they grew any more attached to each other. He had a role to fulfill in the city, and she couldn't follow him. She couldn't interfere this time.

If she tried to stop him – really tried – he knew he would let her.

She was his undoing, and this was his last chance at avoiding it.

"You speak to me as if I'm a child," she whispered. "As if I don't understand what must be done. And that is _your_ mistake, because all this time, _you've_ been the one understimating _me._"

He raised an eyebrow as Sakura took a step closer to him, poking a slender finger into his chest. He wondered if she could feel his racing heart.

"Because of _me,_" she went on, her eyes two narrowed slits of beautiful green, "Orochimaru believes that there _is_ no rebellion. Because of _me,_ he believes that Tsunade is dead rather than organizing a revolution with our strongest allies. Because of _me,_ we secured an information leak in Suigetsu and saved Tenten from execution. I am not pursuing the throne to be the figurehead of _anyone's_ political agenda. I've made it this far on my own merit and intelligence, and that you _continue_ to doubt in my commitment and my capability? Have you _no _faith in my aptitude to be queen? Because if that's the case, then abandon this useless endeavour to restore me to my throne, and remain _here,_ where you'll be _safe._"

"I doubt nothing about you, Princess, except your judgment where your friends are concerned."

"Stop _calling _me _Princess,_" she snapped. "Stop _rejecting_ the fact that I'm more than that to you. _Captain._"

She poked him again, this time harder. "You underestimate me, and you underestimate your own value. This is _suicide._ And if you can't stomach the fact that your life has meaning to me, then at least consider the blow this rebellion would suffer if we were to lose you."

"That's exactly _it,_ Sakura!" he exploded, using her name the way she demanded in that annoying, queenly way of hers. He seized the wrist attached to the finger she was poking him with and held it tight, just to feel her warmth, just to feel her pulse, to see if it was racing as fast as his. "I _can't_ stomach it. It _can't_ mean anything to me, that you're worried about me. Not now, not _ever._"

It can't. It shouldn't. But it _did,_ and it scared the hell out of him.

A few seconds passed, both of them breathing heavily, glaring at one another, before Sakura wrenched her wrist away from him. He expected her to flounce out of the tent in an angry huff, but instead, she slouched onto his cot, her arms wrapped tight around her waist. Deflated, like there was no fight left in her.

He hated it. He hated her looking so defeated, so tiny and fragile. Knowing he had no place to do it, he sat down beside her. Close enough to feel the heat radiating from her body but not close enough to touch her. Never close enough.

"I just got you back, Sasuke," she whispered, not looking up or over at him, her eyes fixated on the dusty ground beneath them. "And perhaps it's selfish of me…but I'm running out of people to be selfish about."

Every word she spoke touched his heart and tested his resolution. With an aching surrender, he lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. He had no right to touch her like this, to touch a princess so familiarly, but she had already called him on that. Even if he rejected the fact that they could ever be together the way he wanted to be, she knew, at least on some level, that he felt something for her decidedly more than the loyalty a soldier might feel to his princess.

Decidedly, frighteningly more.

She didn't pull away from him, despite the fact that that would be the logical thing to do. He didn't deserve to touch her. Instead, she tucked her head into the crook of his shoulder and released a quiet little sob.

"I'm not dead," he murmured quietly, the closest thing he could come up with to comfort. "I have no plans to die. Don't go mourning me just yet."

"I just…miss you already," she sighed, her breath fanning hot against the bare skin of his neck and chest. "I feel safe, when you're with me. When you're with us."

It inflated his heart in a way he couldn't describe, to hear her say that.

"I know I have no claim on you, not anymore, anyway," Sakura went on with a humorless chuckle through her tears. "But…"

She trailed off, lifting her head to meet his eyes. Realizing her implication, he felt the heat simmering in his stomach explode like a volcanic eruption. He recognized the look on her face, burning in her beautiful eyes: desire, fiery and strong enough to match his own. An urgency there, too, the kind he could understand. They would be separated again, and he didn't know how long it would be – if ever – before they were reunited again. Running on borrowed time, Sasuke suddenly saw the lines drawn between them begin to blur.

"I loved you then," she whispered, sincerity trebling the lilt of her voice. "When we were children. And every minute you were gone, even when I hated you, I loved you then, too." Sasuke became dimly aware that she was running her hand over his chest, tracing the contours of his muscles with curious fingers unmarked by scars. "And it makes no sense, and I have no right to feel this way…but I just got you back, Sasuke. I don't want to lose you again, because…for better or worse…I _still_ love you."

And she said the words he always wanted, but couldn't stand, to hear.

The truth: that his feelings were reciprocated, had been since childhood, and none of it _mattered._ It wasn't _enough._ It was terrible timing between two people whom life deemed incompatible. The daughter of his sworn enemies, the woman he'd pledged his sword to protect. It couldn't happen now. It couldn't happen _ever._

"I know you don't feel the same way," Sakura went on, taking her hand back and turning away from him. "I never expected that you might. Especially now…knowing my parents' role in…in what happened to your family. But I can't turn this off, and I don't want you to leave again."

Sasuke's eyes widened. She thought he didn't feel the same. She thought he didn't love her back.

In the end, she knew nothing about him.

His desire couldn't be ignored another minute. He might not deserve this, but it was his, wasn't it? He thought back to the contract burning a hole in the pocket of his jacket, the one dictating that in just a few short months, Sakura was to be his. He had every right, didn't he?

A burning, fiery possessiveness erupted inside him. He became hyperaware of Sakura's presence a few inches away, on the rickety cot. Her whispered confession, the wandering of her fingers on his skin, the naked want in her eyes…the document that promised her to him, that bound them to each other…the years of agonizing desire he'd kept restrained underneath hours of rigorous training and years of trying – and failing – to forget the way the sunlight danced through her hair…

It was a mistake, but he could allow himself this, couldn't he? Just one night. He was taking a huge personal risk, selfless, in returning to an occupied Konoha as a spy. He might not make it out alive, self-confidence be damned; he could permit himself one night.

One night of pure, unadulterated selfishness.

"Sakura," he breathed from behind her, into her ear. He watched her shoulders stiffen as he reached for her messy braid. "You're as naïve as you ever were, to think the way you do."

With deft fingers, he loosened the braid, pulling out the ribbon and letting her hair fall in a pile of curls down her shoulder. She released a shuddering breath and leaned her head back against his shoulder, the satin of her hair on his skin little more than tacit permission.

"I can't give you what you deserve," he whispered, his fingers drifting down her side and taking her wrist; he lifted her arm until it wound around his neck. "But tonight…I can make you mine."

"Tonight," she murmured in confirmation, fingers curling and tightening through his hair as she leaned further into him. He sealed his lips against her throat and nearly lost it when she let out a gasp of exhilaration in response; she turned her head to meet his, and with a heat and a devotion he could never understand, she pressed her lips to his in a kiss of complete surrender.

* * *

><p>Everything began slowly at first. Sasuke was not awkward in the slightest, but he seemed to be holding himself back, taking his time and attempting to be gentle. And Sakura loved him more than ever for it, for the way he kissed her softly, his hands massaging chaste circles into her sides. But she wanted more, and immediately.<p>

He awakened a desire in her that she didn't think she could ever satisfy. He was and remained the most handsome man she'd ever seen, his muscles sharp and defined, his jaw cut, his eyes dark and smoldering, but that was nothing next to the blisteringly close connection she felt to him. It was more than mere attraction; she'd loved him since before she could process what love really was, and in his quiet, subtle way, she knew he loved her, too.

They weren't right for one another, and probably never would be, but that wasn't what this was about. And she was a masochist, and would take whatever she could get.

"Tell me to stop and I will," he breathed in her ear, as he laid her down on the cot, hovering over her like a shadow and eyes full of fire. "Or give me tonight."

His voice, deep and smooth, sent pillars of electricity rocketing up her spine. His hands on her bare sides weren't enough, and instinctually, she raised her hips to meet his, the motion drawing out a ragged groan from Sasuke.

"You have tonight and whatever else you want," she gasped, throwing her head back against the thin pillow as she arched her back, drawing them closer together. "Just _stay._"

He didn't promise her anything. Instead, he kissed every inch of her with a mixture of urgency and reverence, from her mouth to her stomach underneath her shirt, quick fingers negotiating the buttons open until it was discarded on the floor like an afterthought. His tongue swirled against her hipbone and she opened her mouth to cry out, only to have his hand slide gently over her mouth to muffle the sound.

"If they hear us," he murmured, before repeating the motion just to torture her, "they'll stop us."

She kissed his fingers as he drew them away; unexpectedly, he flipped her over onto her stomach. At once, anxiety rose inside her as she realized her scars, her hideous, disfiguring scars, were now on display for him to see. Remembering his disgust with them from the day before, she scrambled to reverse their positions, to turn back over, but he stopped her.

"You're so beautiful, Sakura," he whispered, and she felt him lean down and kiss a scar at the small of her back. Like there was no repulsive deformity there at all, like it was somethig lovely, and she nearly broke down crying at the tenderness in the gesture. He kissed his way up her spine, sending her nerve endings on fire, while her hands curled into the paperthin fabric of the blanket strewn lazily across his cot.

"_Sasuke,_" she gasped, unable to articulate anything more than that, but it seemed to be enough for him. Strong hands slid up and down her sides, his calluses rough against the smoothness of her skin in a delicious way as he flipped her back over. In no time at all, she was kissing him again, her hands greedily exploring every inch of his rippling muscles, curving around his cast-iron biceps and drifting down to the button on his trousers.

At the provocative gesture, he looked down at her, meeting her eyes. His chest was heaving, his hair tousled and even messier than usual, and she had never wanted anything more. Overflowing with love, she whispered, "Sasuke, _please._"

She wasn't sure what she was begging him for. To stop, to continue, to _stay._ But he answered wordlessly, leaning in the rest of the way until there was no distance, no barriers, no space between them. Contracts and wars, tyrants and allies, rebellion and revenge, everything melted away in the tiny, humid tent on the edge of camp, until there was nothing left but Sasuke and Sakura, and all that entailed.

The phrase 'star-crossed lovers' crossed her mind for a brief second, before drowning in the overwhelming love and devotion only Sasuke Uchiha could inspire inside her as they surrendered to the night and to each other.

* * *

><p>He was gone before sunrise.<p>

When she awoke on his cot, undressed and disheveled, she was alone; even his warmth was gone. She ran her hand miserably over the empty space beside her.

He hadn't stayed.

She'd known he wouldn't. She'd known that his loyalty ran deeper than any bond he might have with her, as much as she resented it. But knowing what he would do didn't make it any easier to let him go.

All that was left, she realized, was to wait. Wait for word from him, wait for word on what to do next.

Suna was here, though. Gaara and his armies had come, their allies had answered their call. She knew that it wouldn't be long before they took their next step towards reclaiming their city.

Whether Orochimaru knew it or not, Konoha was going to war.

And unimportant things – like love and lust and loyalty – would have to wait.

* * *

><p>It was impossible to drive her from his heart now or ever again, he knew. Now that he knew what it felt like to move with and inside her, now that he knew the blissful way she'd sigh and gasp and moan his name, now that he knew that his love was received and reciprocated in equal measure.<p>

But there were more important things than the lives of two insignificant people at stake now. He knew that, and so did Sakura.

The ivory gates of Konoha came into view as he spurred his horse on faster. He could make out the palace near the beach, and grimaced.

He was returning – empty-handed – to Orochimaru and his Oto soldiers.

Sakura was right to worry.


End file.
